Isaac Chilemba


Miguel Isaac Chilemba Zuze is a Malawian professional boxer who held the IBO super-middleweight title from 2010 to 2011, and challenged for the WBA, IBF, and WBO light-heavyweight titles in 2016.

Early professional career

Chilemba made his professional debut in Gauteng, South Africa on 19 October 2005 defeating Thamsanga Tindleni in the 2nd round of a 4 round contest. He compiled a run of eight successive victories before dropping a points decision to Willbeforce Shihepo on 5 July 2007 at the Emperor's Palace in Gauteng. The reverse to Shihepo was immediately rectified in his next fight, again in Gauteng, on 21 November 2007 defeating Shihepo on points over six rounds. Two more fights followed in 2008 resulting in wins over David Basajjamivule and Chamunorowa Gonorenda before Chilemba got the opportunity to fight for the African Boxing Unions super middleweight championship on 13 September 2008. The fight for the title once again took place at the Emperor's Palace and pitched Chilemba against the experienced former Commonwealth champion Charles Adamu with Chilemba winning the fight with a 12 round decision to lift the title.

Championship fights

In his next fight Chilemba stepped up to light heavyweight and challenged former victim David Basajjamivule for the WBO version of the light heavyweight title. The fight at the Graceland Casino in Mpumalanga took place on 13 June 2009 and resulted in a second victory over the Ugandan. Chilemba followed this up on 31 October 2009 with another title win, this time defeating French based Congolese fighter Doudou Ngumbu to lift the African Boxing Union's light heavyweight version as well as the WBC International title. A first defence of the WBC title was due to have been made on 26 March 2010 with the Malawian travelling to England to meet former British champion Tony Oakey on a Ricky Hatton promoted bill. The fight however never materialised after Oakey lost an English title fight to fellow countryman Danny McIntosh. Following Oakey, the next opponent lined up for Chilemba was to be Rupert van Aswegen but he then chose to retire from the sport altogether leaving the Malawian once again without an opponent.

IBO World Title

Following the pullout, Chilemba moved back down at super middleweight for the chance to fight undefeated Australian Michael Bolling on 19 June 2010 for the vacant IBO world title. The fight at the Emperor's Palace, resulted in another win for the Malawian and was his fourth title fight in a row in which a different title had been on the line. Chilemba made the first defence of his IBO belt on 6 November 2010 returning to the Emperors Palace and retaining with a gruelling draw against touted South African Thomas Oosthuizen despite being the underdog going into the fight. On 25 February 2011 Chilemba travelled to Tulsa, Oklahoma to fight in the United States for the first time. His opponent, the unbeaten Russian Maxim Vlasov had won all 19 of his previous fights and managed to knock Chilemba down twice in the 8th round. Despite this the Malawian was able to win the fight over the 10 round distance.

Chilemba vs. Meroro

Chilemba returned to South Africa for his next fight against Namibian boxer Vikapita Meroro and retained the WBC International light heavyweight title on 26 March 2011 with a unanimous points win.

Chilemba vs. Bivol

On August 4, 2018, Chilemba challenged Dmitry Bivol for his WBA light heavyweight belt. Bivol landed 34.5% of his punches compared to Chiilemba's 15.5% and all three judges saw Bivol as the clear winner, scoring the fight 120-108, 120-108 and 112-112 for the champion.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
40LossAleksei PapinKO2, 2:5024 May 2024Balashikha Arena, Balashikha, RussiaFor vacant WBA Asia East cruiserweight title
39Win27–9–3Mbaruku KheriKO2, 1:5316 Sep 2022The Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, South Africa
38Loss26–9–3Osleys IglesiasUD1227 May 2022Hala Globus, ul. Kazimierza Wielkiego 8, Lublin, PolandFor vacant IBO International and vacant WBA Inter-Continental super middleweight titles
37Loss26–8–3Pavel SilyaginUD1226 Nov 2021USC Soviet Wings, Moscow, RussiaFor WBC Silver super-middleweight title
36Draw26–7–3Fedor ChudinovSD1020 Feb 2021Crocus City Hall, Krasnogorsk, Russia
35Win26–7–2Alexander KubichUD813 Dec 2019P.A.O.K. Sports Arena, Thessaloniki, Greece
34Loss25–7–2Maxim VlasovUD1220 Jul 2019Central Square, Gelendzhik, RussiaFor vacant EBP light-heavyweight title
33Loss25–6–2Dmitry BivolUD124 Aug 2018Etess Arena, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.For WBA light-heavyweight title
32Win25–5–2Blake CaparelloUD1216 Mar 2018The Melbourne Pavilion, Flemington, AustraliaWon vacant WBC International light-heavyweight title
31Loss24–5–2Oleksandr Gvozdyk8, 3:0019 Nov 2016T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.For NABF light-heavyweight title
30Loss24–4–2Sergey KovalevUD1211 Jul 2016Divs Hotel, Yekaterinburg, RussiaFor WBA, IBF, and WBO light-heavyweight titles
29Loss24–3–2Eleider Álvarez1228 Nov 2015Videotron Centre, Quebec City, Quebec, CanadaFor WBC Silver light-heavyweight title
28Win24–2–2Vasily LepikhinUD1014 Mar 2015Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaWon vacant NABF light-heavyweight title
27Win23–2–2Cory CummingsTKO7, 2:282 Aug 2014Revel Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
26Win22–2–2Denis GrachevUD1015 Mar 2014Sands Casino Resort, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, U.S.
25Win21–2–2Michael GbengaUD816 Nov 2013Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Verona, New York, U.S.
24Loss20–2–2Tony BellewUD1225 May 2013The O2 Arena, London, EnglandFor WBC Silver light-heavyweight title
23Draw20–1–2Tony BellewSD1230 Mar 2013Echo Arena, Liverpool, EnglandFor WBC Silver light-heavyweight title
22Win20–1–1Rayco SaundersUD829 Sep 2012Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S.
21Win19–1–1Edison MirandaUD103 Feb 2012Texas Station Casino, North Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
20Win18–1–1Jameson BosticKO2, 1:481 Oct 2011Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
19Win17–1–1Vikapita MeroroUD1026 Mar 2011Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South AfricaWon vacant WBC International light-heavyweight title
18Win16–1–1Maxim VlasovUD1025 Feb 2011Million Dollar Elm Casino, Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
17Draw15–1–1Thomas Oosthuizen126 Nov 2010Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South AfricaRetained IBO super-middleweight title
16Win15–1Michael BollingUD1219 Jun 2010Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South AfricaWon vacant IBO super-middleweight title
15Win14–1Doudou NgumbuUD1231 Oct 2009Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South AfricaWon WBC International and African light-heavyweight titles
14Win13–1David BasajjamivuleUD1213 Jun 2009Graceland Hotel Casino, Secunda, South AfricaWon vacant WBO Africa light-heavyweight title
13Win12–1Charles Adamu1213 Sep 2008Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South AfricaWon vacant African super-middleweight title
12Win11–1Chamunorwa GonorendaKO4 15 Jul 2008Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa
11Win10–1David BasajjamivuleTKO8 29 Apr 2008Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa
10Win9–1Willbeforce ShihepoPTS621 Nov 2007Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa
9Loss8–1Willbeforce ShihepoPTS65 Jul 2007Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa
8Win8–0Godfrey NeneTKO2 12 May 2007Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa
7Win7–0Charles ChisambaPTS627 Mar 2007Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa
6Win6–0Emmanuel GwalaTKO4 1 Dec 2006Orlando Communal Hall, Soweto, South Africa
5Win5–0Ronnie LateganTKO2 17 Nov 2006Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa
4Win4–0Mark Sloane411 Jul 2006Emperor's Palace, Kempton Park, South Africa
3Win3–0Sithembiso Ngcobo1, 1:1825 May 2006Carnival City, Brakpan, South Africa
2Win2–0Oupa MahlanguTKO4 10 Feb 2006Graceland Hotel Casino, Secunda, South Africa
1Win1–0Thamsanqa Tindleni4 19 Oct 2005Carnival City, Secunda, South Africa