Edis Tatli


Edis Tatli is a Finnish professional boxer. He has held the European lightweight title twice between 2015 and 2018, and has challenged once for the WBA lightweight title in 2014.

Early life

Tatli was born in Prizren, Yugoslavia, in present-day Kosovo, to a Turkish father and Albanian mother. He moved to Finland at the age of four and was raised in Hämeenlinna. Having first trained in karate as a youth, at age fourteen he started boxing and won his first Finnish Amateur Championship title in 2004.

Professional career

Tatli turned professional in 2007. In December 2012, he won the vacant EBU-EU lightweight title against Paolo Gassani and in March 2013, Tatli beat Felix Lora for the WBA Inter-Continental lightweight title. He successfully defended the title against Mzonke Fana in December 2013 and against Antonio De Vitis in May 2014.
In July 2014, it was announced that Tatli will challenge Richard Abril for the WBA lightweight world champion title on September 20 in Helsinki. Tatli is the second Finnish boxer fighting for the World Championship title. Olli Mäki lost a featherweight championship match to Davey Moore in August 1962 at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. The fight between Abril and Tatli is promoted by Olli's son Pekka Mäki of P3 Boxing Oy. He lost the fight by majority decision
He was supposed to fight the EBU lightweight champion Emiliano Marsili on 25 April. Marsili got injured and vacated the belt. Tatli fought Yvan Mendy instead for the EBU lightweight title, and won the fight by unanimous decision.
Edis Tatli was scheduled to face two time lightweight challenger Kevin Mitchell on 18 March 2016, in Finland, but on 10 February, Mitchell announced his retirement and withdrawal from the fight. Tatli instead faced Massimiliano Ballisai and won the fight by unanimous decision.
On 13 August 2016, Tatli defended his European title against Christian Morales by unanimous decision.
On 6 May 2017, Tatli was slated to defend his EBU lightweight belt against the highly rated Francesco Patera in his native Finland. The bout would start slow, with both boxers coming up to speed as the fight progressed. Patera was the busier man, but Tatli scored the powershots. The fight was ruled a split-decision win for Patera, with the judges scoring the fight 112-116, 113-115 and 116-112 for Patera.
In the immediate rematch, the fight was fast and entertaining from the beginning. Both fighters traded throughout the fight, with Tatli being the one whose shots visibly affected his opponent. Tatli was aggressive for most of the time, and even though he didn't manage to score a knockdown, all judges scored the fight 119-109 for the Finn, allowing him to retain the EBU lightweight title.
On 20 April 2019, Tatli fought rising prospect Teofimo Lopez, who was ranked #4 by the WBA, WBC and IBF and #5 by the WBO at lightweight. As many expected, Lopez ended the fight inside the distance with a vicious body shot in the fifth round, from which Tatli could not get up.
Tatli returned to the ring against Berman Sánchez on 10 August 2019, winning the bout via unanimous decision.
He was scheduled to fight for the EBU lightweight title against Gianluca Ceglia in May 2020, but the bout was postponed to take place on 8 August 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In turn, the bout was postponed twice due to Tatli's shoulder surgery. The fight was cancelled, it was expected to take place on 14 August 2021.

Other appearances

In Autumn 2018, Tatli won as a first athlete Dancing with the Stars, the Finnish version of the dance contest Strictly Come Dancing.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
35Win32–3Berman SánchezUD814 Aug 2019Olavinlinna, Savonlinna, Finland
34Loss31–3Teófimo LópezKO5, 1:3220 Apr 2019Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, USFor WBC-NABF lightweight title
33Win31–2Frank UrquiagaUD1211 Aug 2018Savonlinna, FinlandRetained European lightweight title
32Win30–2Francesco PateraUD1212 Dec 2017Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, FinlandWon European lightweight title
31Loss29–2Francesco Patera127 May 2017Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, FinlandLost European lightweight title
30Win29–1Manuel LanciaTKO9, 1:5717 Dec 2016Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, FinlandRetained European lightweight title
29Win28–1Christian MoralesUD1213 Aug 2016Olavinlinna, Savonlinna, FinlandRetained European lightweight title
28Win27–1Massimiliano BallisaiUD1219 Mar 2016Metro Areena, Espoo, FinlandRetained European lightweight title
27Win26–1Ramaz BebnadzeTKO3, 2:5921 Nov 2015Töölön Kisahalli, Helsinki, Finland
26Win25–1Yvan MendyUD1225 Apr 2015Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, FinlandWon vacant European lightweight title
25Win24–1Olegs VilcansTKO1, 0:4024 Jan 2015Ringside Gym, Helsinki, Finland
24Loss23–1Richar Abril1220 Sep 2014Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, FinlandFor WBA lightweight title
23Win23–0Antonio De VitisTKO8, 0:019 May 2014Urheilutalo, Helsinki, FinlandRetained WBA Inter-Continental lightweight title
22Win22–0Mzonke FanaUD127 Dec 2013Barona Areena, Espoo, FinlandRetained WBA Inter-Continental lightweight title
21Win21–0Innocent AnyanwuKO5, 2:0017 Aug 2013Olavinlinna, Savonlinna, Finland
20Win20–0Felix LoraUD129 Mar 2013Barona Areena, Espoo, FinlandWon WBA Inter-Continental lightweight title
19Win19–0Paolo GassaniTKO1, 1:268 Dec 2012Ringside Gym, Espoo, FinlandWon vacant European Union lightweight title
18Win18–0Sherzodbek MamadjanovUD831 May 2012Ufa Arena, Ufa, Russia
17Win17–0Sarfo TysonTKO1, 1:3531 Mar 2012Barona Areena, Espoo, Finland
16Win16–0Pasquale di SilvioUD103 Dec 2011Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
15Win15–0John NolascoUD87 May 2011Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland
14Win14–0Stuart GreenUD84 Mar 2011Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
13Win13–0Asan Yuseinov6, 3:0027 Nov 2010Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
12Win12–0Ruddy EncarnacionUD84 Sep 2010Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland
11Win11–0Damien MartinUD626 Mar 2010Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland
10Win10–0Nikolajs Jasenko1, 0:4012 Dec 2009Aladdin Bar & Night Club, Espoo, Finland
9Win9–0Alex BoneUD624 Oct 2009Urheilutalo, Helsinki, Finland
8Win8–0Walberto Gaxiola1, 2:4818 Apr 2009Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland
7Win7–0Sento MartinezUD614 Feb 2009Pyynikin Palloiluhalli, Tampere, Finland
6Win6–0Juan ZapataUD628 Nov 2008Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
5Win5–0Idiozan MatosUD630 Aug 2008Metroauto-areena, Tampere, Finland
4Win4–0Leonti VorontsukUD414 Jun 2008Kamppailuopisto, Espoo, Finland
3Win3–0Alexander SaltykovUD418 Apr 2008Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland
2Win2–0Juris IvanovsUD41 Feb 2008Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland
1Win1–0Mohammed Ali Cherif422 Oct 2007Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland