Francesco Pianeta


Francesco Pianeta is an Italian former professional boxer who competed from 2005 to 2018. He challenged for the unified WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and The Ring heavyweight championship in 2013, the WBA (Regular) title in 2015, and in his final fight for the Lineal heavyweight championship in 2018. At regional level, he held the European Union heavyweight title from 2008 to 2009.

Background

Pianeta was born in Corigliano in the province of Cosenza. When he was six his family emigrated to Germany and his father went to work in a butcher store.
Before he turned to professional boxing Pianeta practiced Muay Thai and had a record of 9 wins and one loss.
Despite being a long-time Germany resident, Pianeta has held close ties with Italy and in 2008 he stated that his ambition was to win the Italian heavyweight title.

Professional career

Pianeta's first fight as a professional boxer was in July 2005, in Hessen, Germany, when he beat Slovakian journeyman Sylvester Petrovic with a second round knockout.
Pianeta was subsequently undefeated in all of his next 27 fights, with 14 wins by KO and 1 draw.
On 4 May 2013, Pianeta fought Wladimir Klitschko for WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, lineal & The Ring heavyweight titles. He was knocked down 3 times by Klitschko and lost the bout by the way of TKO.
Up until 2018, Pianeta was trained by Alexander Petkovic and promoted by Petkovic′s Petko′s LMS Promotion. Based in Germany, he has also fought in Italy, Ireland, Austria, Poland and Belgium.
Pianeta's final fight was against former unified and lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury at Windsor Park on 18 August 2018. Fury dominated the fight in convincing fashion, winning every single round on referee Steve Gray's scorecard in a shutout points decision victory, handing Pianeta his fifth career loss.
In February 2019, Pianeta announced his retirement. He is now a boxing trainer.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
41LossTyson FuryPTS1018 Aug 2018Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland
40Loss35–4–1Petar MilasUD1016 Jun 2018Maritim Berghotel, Braunlage, GermanyFor IBO International heavyweight title
39Win35–3–1Dašo SimeunovićTKO3, 1:3910 Mar 2018Maritim Berghotel, Braunlage, Germany
38Loss34–3–1Kevin JohnsonTKO7, 2:4814 Oct 2017Ballhausforum, Unterschleißheim, GermanyLost IBO International heavyweight title
37Win34–2–1Oezcan CetinkayaTKO2, 1:118 Jul 2017Amphitheater, Gelsenkirchen, GermanyWon vacant IBO International heavyweight title
36Win33–2–1Edi DelibaltaogluTKO3, 0:3317 Jun 2017TuS Halle, Traunreut, Germany
35Win32–2–1Hasan OlakiTKO5 20 Feb 2016König Pilsener Arena, Oberhausen, Germany
34Loss31–2–1Ruslan ChagaevKO1, 2:5712 Jul 2015GETEC Arena, Magdeburg, GermanyFor WBA (Regular) heavyweight title
33Win31–1–1Ivica BačurinUD126 Dec 2014Sporthall Budakalász, Budakalász, HungaryRetained WBO European heavyweight title
32Win30–1–1Mickael VieiraKO1, 2:2030 May 2014EnergieVerbund Arena, Dresden, GermanyWon vacant WBO European heavyweight title
31Win29–1–1Robert TeuberTKO2, 1:436 Dec 2013Brandenburg Halle, Frankfurt, GermanyWon vacant German International heavyweight title
30Loss28–1–1Wladimir KlitschkoTKO6, 2:524 May 2013SAP Arena, Mannheim, GermanyFor WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight titles
29Win28–0–1Nelson Dario DominguezTKO1, 2:3116 Nov 2012Maritim Hotel, Magdeburg, Germany
28Win27–0–1Frans BothaUD107 Sep 2012RWE Rhein-Ruhr Sporthalle, Mülheim, Germany
27Win26–0–1Oliver McCallUD1016 May 2012Brandenburg Halle, Frankfurt, Germany
26Win25–0–1Zack PagePTS87 Jan 2012Maritim Hotel, Magdeburg, Germany
25Win24–0–1Robert HawkinsPTS821 Oct 2011Brandenburg Halle, Frankfurt, Germany
24Win23–0–1Ivica PerkovićTKO3, 1:232 Apr 2011Herning Kongrescenter, Herning, Denmark
23Win22–0–1Samir KurtagićUD812 Feb 2011RWE Rhein-Ruhr Sporthalle, Mülheim, Germany
22Win21–0–1Mike MiddletonKO1, 1:1018 Dec 2010Max-Schmeling-Halle, Berlin, Germany
21Win20–0–1Evgeny OrlovUD85 Dec 2009Arena Ludwigsburg, Ludwigsburg, Germany
20Win19–0–1Matt SkeltonRTD8, 3:0019 Sep 2009Jahnsportforum, Neubrandenburg, GermanyRetained European Union heavyweight title
19Draw18–0–1Albert Sosnowski124 Apr 2009Burg-Waechter Castello, Düsseldorf, GermanyRetained European Union heavyweight title
18Win18–0Johann DuhaupasUD1220 Dec 2008Hallenstadion, Zürich, SwitzerlandRetained European Union heavyweight title
17Win17–0Scott Gammer8, 30 Aug 2008Max-Schmeling-Halle, Berlin, GermanyWon vacant European Union heavyweight title
16Win16–0Michael MarroneTKO2, 1:2317 May 2008Oberfrankenhalle, Bayreuth, GermanyRetained WBC Youth heavyweight title
15Win15–0Donnell WigginsKO3, 2:0416 Feb 2008Nuremberg Arena, Nuremberg, GermanyWon vacant WBC Youth heavyweight title
14Win14–0Paolo FerraraUD829 Dec 2007Seidensticker Halle, Bielefeld, Germany
13Win13–0Leo SanchezTKO2 24 Nov 2007Stadthalle, Steyr, Austria
12Win12–0Colin WilsonUD829 Sep 2007EWE Arena, Oldenburg, Germany
11Win11–0Miyan SolomonsUD823 Jun 2007Stadthalle, Zwickau, Germany
10Win10–0Paolo Ferrara814 Apr 2007Porsche-Arena, Stuttgart, Germany
9Win9–0Aleksandrs Borhovs825 Mar 2007Point Theatre, Dublin, Ireland
8Win8–0Georgi HarizanovKO2 17 Feb 2007Sportcomplex van Evere, Evere, Belgium
7Win7–0Cerrone FoxTKO3 20 Jan 2007St. Jakobshalle, Basel, Switzerland
6Win6–0Valentin MarinelTKO1, 2:4725 Nov 2006Torwar Hall, Warsaw, Poland
5Win5–0Vlado Szabo611 Aug 2006Toscolano Maderno, Lombardia, Italy
4Win4–0Dirk MandelartzKO1 20 May 2006Piazza di Siena, Rome, Italy
3Win3–0Ervin SlonkaTKO2 29 Apr 2006University Hall, Berlin, Germany
2Win2–0Tomas Mrazek2 11 Mar 2006Mehrzweckhalle, Greifswald, Germany
1Win1–0Sylvester Petrović2, 2:532 Jul 2005Karl Eckel Halle, Hattersheim am Main, Germany