Karo Murat


Karapet Muradyan, best known as Karo Murat, is a German-Armenian professional boxer who held the IBO light-heavyweight title in 2018. He also held the European super-middleweight title from 2008 to 2009 and the light-heavyweight version in 2017.

Professional career

Early stages and European super-middleweight champion

Murat made his professional debut in Hessen, Germany on 23 September 2006 defeating Matus Sestak.
On 16 February 2008, he defeated Sergey Kharchenko at the Nuremberg Arena to lift the EBU-EE super middleweight title via stoppage in the 10th round.
In his next fight, Murat travelled to Neubrandenburg to fight for the full European belt against Cristian Sanavia on 12 April 2008, winning by unanimous decision.
A first defence in Bielefeld on 20 September 2008 resulted in a majority points win over Spain's Gabriel Campillo. He then met Sanavia in a rematch on 28 February 2009, again in Neubrandenburg. Murat stopped Sanavia in the 10th round to register a second successful defence of the title.

Move to light-heavyweight

Murat moved up to light-heavyweight and fought Serhiy Demchenko to win the vacant WBO Inter-continental light-heavyweight title via unanimous decision on 29 August 2009 in Halle.
His first defence against Guyana's Sean Corbin resulted in a second round stoppage win on 30 January 2010. Murat successfully defended his title once more on 1 May 2010 beating Tommy Karpency over 12 rounds, knocking him down in the second, in Oldenburg, Germany.
On 18 September 2010, Murat faced Nathan Cleverly in a WBO light-heavyweight title eliminator. The bout was waved off by the referee as the 10th round was about to start on the advice of the ringside doctor.
He rebounded from the defeat on 12 February 2011 with an eight round points win over Christian Cruz and followed this on 7 May 2011 by winning the IBF Inter-continental title against American boxer Otis Griffin with an 11th round stoppage. He made his first defence of the title in a rematch against Gabriel Campillo on 1 October 2011, with the fight ending in a draw.

IBF light-heavyweight title challenge

Murat faced the IBF light-heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins on 26 October 2013 in Atlantic City, USA, and lost by unanimous decision.

European light-heavyweight champion

On 1 July 2017, he beat the previously undefeated Dominic Bösel by 11th round technical knockout to win the vacant European light-heavyweight title.

IBO light-heavyweight title

Murat defeated Travis Reeves by technical knockout in the 12th round to win the vacant IBO light heavyweight title on 24 March 2018.
He lost the title in his first defense to Sven Fornling at Alsterdorfer Sporthalle in Hamburg, Germany, on 15 December 2018. He was knocked to the canvas in the first round and floored his opponent in the 12th round. Murat was deducted a point in round 11 for rabbit punches and Fornling went on to win via unanimous decision.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
40Win35–4–1Norbert DabrowskiTKO10, 1:5219 Oct 2022Prime Hall Complex, Yerevan, Armenia
39Win34–4–1Adnan DeronjaRTD3, 3:006 Jun 2022Universum Gym, Hamburg, Germany
38Win33–4–1Norbert SzekeresKO6, 1:1521 May 2022Inselparkhalle, Wilhelmsburg, Germany
37LossSven FornlingUD1215 Dec 2018Alsterdorfer Sporthalle, Hamburg, GermanyLost IBO light-heavyweight title
36Win32–3–1Travis ReevesTKO12, 1:5224 Mar 2018Inselparkhalle, Wilhelmsburg, GermanyWon vacant IBO light-heavyweight title
35Win31–3–1Dominic BoeselTKO11, 2:261 Jul 2017Ballsport Arena, Dresden, GermanyWon vacant European light-heavyweight title
34Win30–3–1Yevgeni MakhteienkoTKO12, 2:4617 Sep 2016Goeppi, GermanyWon vacant WBA Inter-Continental light-heavyweight title.
33Win29–3–1Esteban Hillman TababaryTKO1, 2:504 Jun 2016Autohaus Duerkop, Kassel, Germany
32Win28–3–1Aleksandar TodorovicPTS613 Feb 2016ECB Boxgym, Hamburg, Germany
31Loss27–3–1Sullivan BarreraKO5, 0:2512 Dec 2015Civic Auditorium, Glendale, California, USIBF light-heavyweight title eliminator
30Win27–2–1Benjamin SimonTKO7, 2:1825 Apr 2015Columbiahalle, Berlin, GermanyWon vacant IBF International light-heavyweight title
29Win26–2–1Leo TchoulaTKO4, 2:4831 Oct 2014Kugelbake-Halle, Cuxhaven, Germany
28Loss25–2–1Bernard HopkinsUD1226 Oct 2013Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USFor IBF light-heavyweight title
27Win25–1–1Sandro SiproshviliTKO7, 2:212 Jun 2012Herning Kongrescenter, Herning, Denmark
26Draw24–1–1Gabriel CampilloSD121 Oct 2011Jahnsportforum, Neubrandenburg, GermanyRetained IBF Inter-Continental light-heavyweight title
25Win24–1Otis GriffinTKO11, 2:597 May 2011Jahnsportforum, Neubrandenburg, GermanyWon vacant IBF Inter-Continental light-heavyweight title
24Win23–1Christian CruzUD812 Feb 2011RWE Rhein-Ruhr Sporthalle, Mülheim, Germany
23Loss22–1Nathan CleverlyTKO9, 3:0018 Sep 2010LG Arena, Birmingham, England
22Win22–0Tommy KarpencyUD121 May 2010Weser-Ems-Halle, Oldenburg, GermanyRetained WBO Inter-Continental light-heavyweight title
21Win21–0Shawn CorbinTKO2, 2:4130 Jan 2010Jahnsportforum, Neubrandenburg, GermanyRetained WBO Inter-Continental light-heavyweight title
20Win20–0Serhiy DemchenkoUD1229 Aug 2009Gerry Weber Stadium, Halle, GermanyWon vacant WBO Inter-Continental light-heavyweight title
19Win19–0Cristian SanaviaTKO10, 0:0528 Feb 2009Jahnsportforum, Neubrandenburg, GermanyRetained European super-middleweight title
18Win18–0Gabriel CampilloMD1220 Sep 2008Seidensticker Halle, Bielefeld, GermanyRetained European super-middleweight title
17Win17–0Cristian SanaviaUD1212 Apr 2008Jahnsportforum, Neubrandenburg, GermanyWon European super-middleweight title
16Win16–0Sergey KharchenkoTKO10, 1:2016 Feb 2008Nuremberg Arena, Nuremberg, GermanyWon vacant European External super-middleweight title
15Win15–0Emiliano CayetanoTKO7, 2:0729 Dec 2007Seidensticker Halle, Bielefeld, Germany
14Win14–0Gabor BaloghTKO1 24 Nov 2007Stadthalle, Steyr, Austria
13Win13–0Szabolcs RimovszkyKO2, 1:0415 Sep 2007Frankie`s BF Arena, Oberpullendorf, Austria
12Win12–0Jermain MackeyUD818 Aug 2007Max Schmeling Halle, Berlin, Germany
11Win11–0Sergey BotnikovKO4, 1:5030 Jun 2007Olympisky Sport Hall, Moscow, Russia
10Win10–0Mustapha StiniRTD2, 0:2426 May 2007Jako Arena, Bamberg, Germany
9Win9–0Nicolas PerilloUD68 May 2007Pabellon San Jose, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
8Win8–0Sergey GribkovUD624 Mar 2007Yunost, Kaliningrad, Russia
7Win7–0Pavels LotahsUD63 Mar 2007Stadthalle, Rostock, Germany
6Win6–0Mirko SinovcicTKO1 17 Feb 2007Universal Hall, Berlin, Germany
5Win5–0Yves RomainvilleKO1, 1:4120 Jan 2007St. Jakob Halle, Basel, Switzerland
4Win4–0Biagio PateraUD416 Dec 2006BigBox, Kempten, Germany
3Win3–0Petr RykalaTKO1 18 Nov 2006Stadthalle, Steyr, Austria
2Win2–0Tanju GuenesKO1, 1:234 Nov 2006RWE Rhein-Ruhr Sporthalle, Mülheim, Germany
1Win1–0Matus SestakKO1, 1:4823 Sep 2006Karl Eckel Halle, Hattersheim am Main, Germany