Mihai Leu


Mihai Leu, also known as Michael Löwe, was a Romanian professional boxer who competed between 1991 and 1997. He held the WBO welterweight title in 1997.
Leu retired after one title defense, against Michael Carruth, becoming the third European boxer to retire as an undefeated world champion, after Jack McAuliffe and Terry Marsh. Due to an injury, he was forced to abandon boxing but unwilling to give up the world of sports, he turned to be a rally driver. He later became a national rally champion.

Amateur career

Leu started boxing in 1977 at local club Constructorul Hunedoara. In 1981, he transferred to Metalul Hunedoara, and in 1982 he moved on to Dinamo Bucharest. During his time with Dinamo, he won the national championship four years in a row. In 1986, he joined Steaua Bucharest and also became a member of the national team. In 1987, he became World Junior Champion in Havana, Cuba.
In 1987, after becoming World Junior Champion, he fled communist-ruled Romania, risking severe consequences, and moved to West Germany. There, he competed for Bayer Leverkusen, with whom he became German champion twice, in 1989 and 1990.
In total he fought 200 amateur matches, out of which he won 190.

Professional career

In 1991, Leu became a professional boxer in Germany. He would go on to win the vacant WBO welterweight title in 1997 by defeating Santiago Samaniego. He would defend the title once against Irish challenger Michael Carruth, before officially retiring in 1998.

Rally career

He made his debut in 1994 at the Banat Rally, driving a Volkswagen Golf GTI. In 1998, Leu started his new career at the wheel of a Ford Ka and after only three years, he managed to become Romania's rally vice-champion.
Five years later, in 2003, he became Romania's national champion, driving a Hyundai Accent WRC with co-driver Ciprian Solomon. After failing to win another race following his championship-winning year, Leu retired from competitive rallying in 2008, only to return in 2010 as team manager of the Jack Daniel's Rally Team, in the Romanian National Rally Championship.

Personal life, illness and death

Leu was the son of Nicolae Leu, a well-known Romanian rally driver of the 1970s and 1980s. His brother, Victor, also made his debut in car racing in 1999, as his co-driver.
Leu was married to Anna, an Italian woman he met in Germany, and the couple had one son named Marco.
Leu was involved in politics along with the Partidul Conservator, despite failing to secure a place in the European Parliament, in the 2007 national elections. He worked part-time as assistant at the Tibiscus University in Timișoara.
In 2014, Leu had colon cancer and received surgery in Bucharest and treatment in Vienna.
Leu died aged 57, in Bucharest on 1 July 2025, following a long illness.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
28Win28–0Michael CarruthMD1220 September 1997Tivoli Eissporthalle, Aachen, GermanyRetained WBO welterweight title
27Win27–0Santiago SamaniegoUD1222 February 1997 Alsterdorfer Sporthalle Hamburg, GermanyWon vacant WBO welterweight title
26Win26–0Eric JakubowskiTKO5 16 November 1996Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
25Win25–0Jorge RamirezPTS819 October 1996Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany
24Win24–0Dwayne SwiftKO4 8 June 1996 Deutz Sporthalle, Cologne, Germany
23Win23–0Freddy DemeulenaerePTS84 May 1996Sport und Erholungszentrum, Berlin, Germany
22Win22–0Jose BrandPTS814 April 1996Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
21Win21–0Miguel Ángel PeñaPTS810 June 1995Europahalle, Karlsruhe, Germany
20Win20–0Craig HoukTKO11, 2:241 April 1995Saaltheater Geulen, Aachen, GermanyWon vacant WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title
19Win19–0Bobby ButtersUD828 January 1995Sporthalle, Berlin, Germany
18Win18–0Harold BennettPTS817 December 1994Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
17Win17–0Stefan SchrammPTS103 December 1994Atelier Bruno Bruni, Hamburg, GermanyWon vacant German International welterweight title
16Win16–0Benjamin FelixTKO2 13 November 1994Universum Gym, Hamburg, Germany
15Win15–0Lloyd RatalskyTKO4 22 October 1994Hansehalle, Lübeck, Germany
14Win14–0Attila VeresPTS83 September 1994Domplatz, Wiener Neustadt, Austria
13Win13–0Gejza StipakTKO4 10 April 1994Universum Gym, Hamburg, Germany
12Win12–0Pave TuricKO2 19 March 1994Lugner City, Vienna, Austria
11Win11–0Antonio DagaPTS819 February 1994Sportshalle, Hamburg, Germany
10Win10–0Hector Omar LuquePTS65 February 1994Deutschlandhalle, Berlin, Germany
9Win9–0Nestor Jesus GilPTS815 October 1993Sporthalle, Berlin, Germany
8Win8–0Marino MonteynePTS62 October 1993Barbarossa Halle, Kaiserslautern, Germany
7Win7–0Farid BennecerTKO4 11 September 1993Tivoli Eissporthalle, Aachen, Germany
6Win6–0Miroslav StrbakKO4 26 June 1993Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
5Win5–0Oscar WashingtonPTS622 May 1993Tivoli Eissporthalle, Aachen, Germany
4Win4–0Miroslav StrbakPTS63 April 1993Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
3Win3–0Wayne GreenPTS413 February 1993Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
2Win2–0Jan MazgutKO2 13 December 1991Minden, Germany
1Win1–0Gejza StipakPTS616 September 1991Legien Center, Berlin, Germany