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Mihai Leu

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Mihai Leu
Leu in 2014
Born (1969-02-13) 13 February 1969 (age 55)
Hunedoara, Romania
Other names
  • Michael Loewe
  • Lion
Statistics
Weight(s)Welterweight
Height5 ft 7+12 in (171 cm)
Reach64 in (163 cm)
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights28
Wins28
Wins by KO10
Medal record
Men's Amateur boxing
Representing  Romania
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 1987 Havana Light welterweight

Mihai Leu also known as Michael Loewe (born 13 February 1969, in Hunedoara) is a Romanian former professional boxer who competed between 1991 and 1997. He held the WBO welterweight title in 1997.

Leu retired after one title defense, against Michael Carruth, becoming the third European boxer to retire as an undefeated world champion, after Jack McAuliffe and Terry Marsh. Due to an injury, he was forced to abandon boxing but unwilling to give up the world of sports, he turned to be a rally driver. He later became a national rally champion.

Amateur highlights

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He started boxing in 1977 at the Hunedoara Constructorul club. In 1981 he moved to the Hunedoara Metalul from where in 1982 he moved on to Dinamo Bucharest. During his time with Dinamo, he won the national championship four consecutive years: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986. In 1986, he moved to Steaua Bucharest and also became part of the national team.

In 1987, he became World Junior Champion.

In total he fought 200 amateur matches, out of which he won 190.

Professional career

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In 1991, he became a professional boxer in Germany (using the name Michael Loewe). He would go on to win the vacant WBO welterweight title in 1997 by defeating Santiago Samaniego.[1] He would defend the title once against Irish challenger Michael Carruth,[2] before retiring in 1998.

Professional boxing record

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28 fights 28 wins 0 losses
By knockout 10 0
By decision 18 0
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
28 Win 28–0 Michael Carruth MD 12 20 Sep 1997 Tivoli Eissporthalle, Aachen, Germany Retained WBO welterweight title
27 Win 27–0 Santiago Samaniego UD 12 22 Feb 1997 Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany Won vacant WBO welterweight title
26 Win 26–0 Eric Jakubowski TKO 5 (10) 16 Nov 1996 Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
25 Win 25–0 Jorge Ramirez PTS 8 19 Oct 1996 Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany
24 Win 24–0 Dwayne Swift KO 4 (10) 8 Jun 1996 Deutz Sporthalle, Cologne, Germany
23 Win 23–0 Freddy Demeulenaere PTS 8 4 May 1996 Sport und Erholungszentrum, Berlin, Germany
22 Win 22–0 Jose Brand PTS 8 14 Apr 1996 Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
21 Win 21–0 Miguel Ángel Peña PTS 8 10 Jun 1995 Europahalle, Karlsruhe, Germany
20 Win 20–0 Craig Houk TKO 11 (12), 2:24 1 Apr 1995 Saaltheater Geulen, Aachen, Germany Won vacant WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title
19 Win 19–0 Bobby Butters UD 8 28 Jan 1995 Sporthalle, Berlin, Germany
18 Win 18–0 Harold Bennett PTS 8 17 Dec 1994 Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
17 Win 17–0 Stefan Schramm PTS 10 3 Dec 1994 Atelier Bruno Bruni, Hamburg, Germany Won vacant German International welterweight title
16 Win 16–0 Benjamin Felix TKO 2 (?) 13 Nov 1994 Universum Gym, Hamburg, Germany
15 Win 15–0 Lloyd Ratalsky TKO 4 (?) 22 Oct 1994 Hansehalle, Lübeck, Germany
14 Win 14–0 Attila Veres PTS 8 3 Sep 1994 Domplatz, Wiener Neustadt, Austria
13 Win 13–0 Gejza Stipak TKO 4 (?) 10 Apr 1994 Universum Gym, Hamburg, Germany
12 Win 12–0 Pave Turic KO 2 (?) 19 Mar 1994 Lugner City, Vienna, Austria
11 Win 11–0 Antonio Daga PTS 8 19 Feb 1994 Sportshalle, Hamburg, Germany
10 Win 10–0 Hector Omar Luque PTS 6 5 Feb 1994 Deutschlandhalle, Berlin, Germany
9 Win 9–0 Nestor Jesus Gil PTS 8 15 Oct 1993 Sporthalle, Berlin, Germany
8 Win 8–0 Marino Monteyne PTS 6 2 Oct 1993 Barbarossa Halle, Kaiserslautern, Germany
7 Win 7–0 Farid Bennecer TKO 4 (?) 11 Sep 1993 Tivoli Eissporthalle, Aachen, Germany
6 Win 6–0 Miroslav Strbak KO 4 (?) 26 Jun 1993 Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
5 Win 5–0 Oscar Washington PTS 6 22 May 1993 Tivoli Eissporthalle, Aachen, Germany
4 Win 4–0 Miroslav Strbak PTS 6 3 Apr 1993 Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
3 Win 3–0 Wayne Green PTS 4 13 Feb 1993 Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
2 Win 2–0 Jan Mazgut KO 2 (?) 13 Dec 1991 Minden, Germany
1 Win 1–0 Gejza Stipak PTS 6 16 Sep 1991 Legien Center, Berlin, Germany

Rally career

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In 1998 he started his new career at the wheel of a Ford Ka and after only three years, he managed to become Romania's rally vice-champion. He had already participated in rallying before, having made his debut in 1994, at the Banat Rally, in a Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Five years later, in 2003, he became Romania's national champion driving a Hyundai Accent WRC, with co-driver Ciprian Solomon. After failing to win another race after his championship winning year, Mihai Leu gave up competitive rallying in 2008, only to return in 2010, as team-manager of Jack Daniel's Rally Team, in the Romanian National Rally Championship (CNR).

Personal life

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He is the son of Nicolae Leu, a well-known Romanian rally driver of the `70s–`80s. His brother, Victor, also made his debut in car racing in 1999, as his co-driver.

He is married and has a son Marco, born in 1993, who is a winter sportsman.

He is involved in politics along with the Partidul Conservator, despite failing to secure a place in the European Parliament, in the 2007 national elections. He works part-time as assistant at the Tibiscus University in Timișoara.

In 2014, he had colon cancer and received surgery in Bucharest and treatment in Vienna.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Devers bounds past Torrence in 60m dash". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2024-06-30.
  2. ^ "Arizona's Olson to Receive 2-Year Extension". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-06-30.
[edit]
Sporting positions
Regional boxing titles
Preceded by
Stefan Schramm
German International
welterweight champion

3 December 1994 – 2 February 1997
Won world title
Vacant
Title next held by
Alpaslan Aguzum
New title WBO Inter-Continental
welterweight champion

1 April 1995 – 1996
Vacated
Vacant
Title next held by
Larry Barnes
World boxing titles
Vacant
Title last held by
José Luis López
WBO welterweight champion
22 February 1997 – 1998
Retired
Succeeded by
Akhmed Kotiev
promoted from interim status