Branko Sobot


Branko Šobot is a Croatian former professional boxer, who held the IBF Inter-Continental middleweight and super middleweight titles and challenged for the WBO World Super middleweight title, losing against Joe Calzaghe by 3rd-round TKO.

Amateur

Šobot became Croatian amateur champion in 1994 defeating Stjepan Božić by split decision.

Pro

Šobot's debut came on January 7, 1995, with a knockout of Bosnian, Savo Janković. On 1 March 1996, Šobot fought and defeated Orhan Ajvazoski for the German International middleweight title in Frankfurt and went on to make two more successful defences in the city and later two more in Offenbach and Oberhausen.
After nine wins, Šobot successfully fought for the IBF Inter-Continental middleweight title, defeating experienced title holder Salvador Yanez.
Šobot's next major challenge came on January 25, 1997, when he faced future world champion Hacine Cherifi for the EBU middleweight title. After a 12-round fight, the Frenchman defeated Šobot on points, Šobots only defeat after 11 wins.
On the January 24, 1998, Šobot made his first and only World title challenge. Moving up to Super Middleweight, he faced Joe Calzaghe who was making his first defence since winning the WBO World super middleweight title off Chris Eubank. Šobot was brought in as a late replacement for American Tarick Salmaci.
Despite beating the count after getting knocked down in the third round, the Croatian came under renewed punishment, with the Welshman landing blows from all angles, prompting the referee to stop the fight, making it Šobot's first TKO loss.
In November 1999, after two recovery wins back in Germany, Šobot faced unbeaten Mario Veit for the vacant German International super middleweight title, losing the ten round contest by unanimous decision.
His next fight was more successful, as he won the IBF Inter-Continental super middleweight title in his home country with a sixth round stoppage over Francis Fofoh. This took his career record up to 17-3-0 at the turn of the millennium, although the rest of his career would be less victory filled. In his next nine fights he would win just twice, facing tough competition against the likes of Danilo Haussler, Arthur Abraham, Mger Mkrtchyan and Konni Konrad.
On the 16 December 2004, Šobot fought his last bout, losing to undefeated and future WBO World super middleweight champion Denis Inkin by second-round TKO.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
30Loss19–11Denis InkinTKO2 16 Dec 2004Centr na Tulskoy, Moscow, Russia
29Loss19–10Lansana DialloUD84 Dec 2004Palais du Midi, Brussels, Belgium
28Win19–9Admir KurtićKO2 7 Nov 2004Široki Brijeg, West Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina
27Loss18–9Konni KonradMD816 Oct 2004Maritim Hotel, Cologne, Germany
26Loss18–8Roman AramyanPTS625 Sep 2004Ballei-Halle, Neckarsulm, Germany
25Loss18–7Mger MkrtchyanTKO2, 2:2124 Jul 2004Brandenburg Halle, Frankfurt an der Oder, Germany
24Loss18–6Arthur AbrahamTKO2, 2:0527 Mar 2004Bordelandhalle, Magdeburg, Germany
23Win18–5Orhan AjvazoskiUD629 Sep 2001Stadthalle, Offenbach am Main, Germany
22Loss17–5Danilo HäusslerUD86 May 2000Ballsporthalle, Frankfurt, Germany
21Loss17–4Norbert NierobaPTS825 Sep 1999Kölnarena, Cologne, Germany
20Win17–3Francis FofohTKO6 10 Jul 1999Amphitheater Arena, Pula, CroatiaWon vacant IBF Inter-Continental super middleweight title
19Loss16–3Mario VeitUD1014 Nov 1998Circus Krone, Munich, GermanyFor vacant German International super middleweight title
18Win16–2Rob BleakleyUD822 Aug 1998Sport und Erholungszentrum, Berlin, Germany
17Win15–2Terry FordPTS85 Jun 1998Sporthalle Wandsbek, Hamburg, Germany
16Loss14–2Joe CalzagheTKO3, 1:3524 Jan 1998Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff, WalesFor WBO super middleweight title
15Win14–1Bahre AhmetiUD106 Dec 1997Stadthalle, Offenbach am Main, GermanyRetained German International middleweight title
14Win13–1Anthony IvoryPTS823 Aug 1997Maritim Hotel, Stuttgart, Germany
13Win12–1Bagrat MakhkamovTKO6 13 Jun 1997Arena Oberhausen, Oberhausen, GermanyWon vacant German International middleweight title
12Loss11–1Hacine CherifiUD1225 Jan 1997Maritim Hotel, Stuttgart, GermanyFor European middleweight title
11Win11–0Milko StoikovTKO3 21 Dec 1996Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany
10Win10–0Salvador YáñezTKO10 19 Oct 1996Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, GermanyWon vacant IBF Inter-Continental middleweight title
9Win9–0Stefan MagyarTKO2 17 Aug 1996Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany
8Win8–0Orhan AjvazoskiPTS106 Jul 1996Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, GermanyRetained German International middleweight title
7Win7–0Horace FlearyUD104 May 1996Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, GermanyRetained German International middleweight title
6Win6–0Orhan AjvazoskiPTS101 Mar 1996Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, GermanyWon vacant German International middleweight title
5Win5–0Milan MasnýKO3, 2:108 Sep 1995Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany
4Win4–0Ibrahim AlpasalnTKO5 8 Jul 1995Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany
3Win3–0Isidore JanvierTKO4 6 May 1995Neuwied, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
2Win2–0Jan HeinemannUD411 Feb 1995Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany
1Win1–0Savo JankovićKO1 7 Jan 1995Neuwied, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany