Malik Zinad


Malik Zinad is a Libyan professional boxer who challenged for the WBA (Super) and IBO light heavyweight titles in 2024.

Early life

Zinad was born on 19 November 1993 in Tripoli, Libya. His father, a former boxer himself, began training him in the sport when he was five, though they practised in the basement of their home due to Muammar Gaddafi's ban on boxing. However, Zinad left his country in 2013 due to the unrest following Gaddafi's death, eventually settling in the island nation of Malta after his father encouraged him to follow his dreams.
Zinad had about 25 bouts in his amateur career, eight of which took place in Malta.

Professional career

Zinad made his professional debut on 30 October 2015, defeating Bogoljub Borišev via second-round technical knockout in Attard, Malta. After signing former world champion Donny Lalonde as his manager, he captured the vacant WBF International light heavyweight title in his sixth fight, stopping Attila Palko on 24 September 2016. He defended the belt three months later, knocking out Beka Aduashvili in the German town of Bielefeld to retain. Zinad won the light heavyweight title on 25 March 2017, stopping Bosnian journeyman Aleksandar Kuvac in just over a minute. He then upset Jermaine Asare two months later, knocking him out in the first round of their fight at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff. Zinad made his London debut on 12 October 2019, dominating Michal Gazdik in two rounds at York Hall.
After compiling a 16–0 record, Zinad beat Russian prospect Timur Nikarkhoev in Brussels on 28 March 2021 to collect the vacant IBO Inter-Continental light heavyweight title. In his next fight that August, he scored a third-round TKO over Almir Škrijelj for the vacant WBC Mediterranean light heavyweight title.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
25Win24-1Ante BilicTKO630 Nov 2025York Hall, Bethnal Green
24Win23–1Haris DzindoKO4 28 Feb 2025Intercontinental Hotel, St Julian's, Malta
23Loss22–1Dmitry BivolTKO6, 2:061 Jun 2024Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaFor WBA (Super) and IBO light-heavyweight titles
22Win22–0Jerome Pampellone1224 Apr 2024Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, Australia
21Win21–0Mickael DialloUD1011 Mar 2023Hall des Sports ULB Erasme, Brussels, Belgium
20Win20–0Ezequiel MadernaUD1026 Jun 2022Hall des Sports ULB Erasme, Brussels, Belgium
19Win19–0Islam TeffahiUD1018 Dec 2021Hall'O, Oberkorn, Luxembourg
18Win18–0Almir SkrijeljTKO3, 0:5729 Aug 2021Claridge Events, Brussels, BelgiumWon vacant WBC Mediterranean light heavyweight title
17Win17–0Timur NikarkhoevKO9, 1:1928 Mar 2021Claridge Events, Brussels, BelgiumWon vacant IBO Intercontinental light heavyweight title
16Win16–0Ondrej BuderaKO7, 2:3831 Jul 2020Montekristo Estate, Luqa, Malta
15Win15–0Michal GazdikTKO2, 0:3312 Oct 2019York Hall, London, England
14Win14–0John Cortez3, 2:1125 May 2019Intercontinental Hotel, St. Julian's, Malta
13Win13–0Julio AcostaKO4, 2:032 Mar 2019Intercontinental Hotel, St. Julian's, Malta
12Win12–0Stephane TchambaKO2, 2:009 Feb 2019Verti Music Hall, Berlin, Germany
11Win11–0Jevgenijs AndrejevsTKO2, 0:453 Mar 2018The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland
10Win10–0Tsvetozar IlievTKO2, 1:119 Dec 2017Corradino Sport Pavilion, Paola, Malta
9Win9–0Jermaine AsareKO1, 2:1826 May 2017Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff, Wales
8Win8–0Aleksandar KuvacTKO1, 1:0825 Mar 2017Corradino Sports Pavilion, Paola, Malta
7Win7–0Beka Aduashvili5, 1:5318 Dec 2016Sportpalast, Bielefeld, GermanyRetained WBF International light heavyweight title
6Win6–0Attila PalkoTKO6, 2:5524 Sep 2016Tabor Hall, Maribor, SloveniaWon vacant WBF International light heavyweight title
5Win5–0Norbert SzekeresTKO1, 1:5324 Jul 2016Gentlemen Fight Club, Budapest, Hungary
4Win4–0Claudio Kraiem625 Jun 2016Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun, Malta
3Win3–0Petar MarkovicTKO2 28 May 2016Gymnase Frédérique Bronquard, Reims, France
2Win2–0Richard VellaTKO2, 1:237 Dec 2015Cottonera Sports Complex, Cospicua, Malta
1Win1–0Bogoljub Borisev2, 1:2230 Oct 2015Basketball Pavilion, Ta' Qali, Malta