Sven Ottke


Sven Ottke is a German former professional boxer who competed from 1997 to 2004. He was a unified super-middleweight world champion, having held the IBF title from 1998 to 2004, and the WBA title from 2003 to 2004. With 21 successful title defences, Ottke was the fourth European boxer to retire as an undefeated world champion, after Jack McAuliffe, Terry Marsh, and Michael Loewe; Joe Calzaghe later became the fifth. Ottke defended the title against 20 boxers, a record in the super-middleweight division shared with Joe Calzaghe. As an amateur, Ottke won a bronze medal in the middleweight division at the 1989 World Championships.

Early life

Sven Ottke was born in Spandau, Berlin. He served two apprenticeships as a plasterer and industrial clerk. He became a member of the boxing club Spandauer BC 26 Berlin at the age of 14.

Amateur career

He rebutted his critics, who had contended that he had started too late, when he became German Champion at the age of 18 at Middleweight. Ten further titles would follow. He took part in the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games. He became European Champion in 1991 and 1996, and came third in 1993.
Ottke held amateur wins over Antonio Tarver, Chris Byrd, Michael Moorer, Zsolt Erdei and Juan Carlos Gómez.
  • Amateur Record: 256-47-5
  • German Middleweight Champion 1985–1989
  • German National Middleweight Champion
  • German National Light Heavyweight Champion
  • Three time Olympian
Ottke finished his amateur career with a record of 256 wins, 47 losses, and 5 draws. As in his professional career, he spent most of his amateur career within Germany. Ottke failed to pass the quarterfinals of the few World Championships and Olympic games he participated in, apart from the Moscow 1989, where he dropped out of the semifinals.

Professional career

After 308 fights as an amateur, of which he won 256, he turned professional in 1997. Less than a year later on 24 October 1998, he won the IBF super middleweight championship from Charles Brewer via a disputed decision victory. After this he made 16 successful defenses of his IBF title against fighters such as Thomas Tate, Glen Johnson, Silvio Branco, James Butler, Anthony Mundine, Charles Brewer in a rematch, and a controversial points win against Robin Reid. He was at the peak of his career when he won the WBA title on 13 March 2003 against WBA champion Byron Mitchell, winning by split points decision.
After successfully defending his title 21 times, Ottke stepped down as undefeated world champion on 27 March 2004. Ottke has a record of 34 wins and 0 losses as a professional, of which 6 were by knockout. He was named IBF "Fighter of the Year" in 2003.
Ottke was a durable and attritional fighter, with most of his wins coming by points decisions rather than knockout.
Notably, Ottke refused to defend his title outside Germany, and referees and ringside officials were often German. It has been alleged that both the refereeing and some of the points decisions were corrupt and biased, with many commentators in the Reid fight, in particular, commenting that it was some of the worst refereeing that they had seen and alleged corrupt judging being the only reason Ottke kept his title. Reid had stated his intention to pursue a rematch against old foe Joe Calzaghe if he were to win; the latter, holding the WBO belt, called out Ottke instead for a unification title match, but Ottke took only one more fight and then retired.

Planned comeback

In May 2008, a comeback was planned against Dariusz Michalczewski in Germany, but the match never materialized.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
34Win34–0Armand KrajncUD1227 Mar 2004Bördelandhalle, Magdeburg, GermanyRetained WBA and IBF super-middleweight titles
33Win33–0Robin ReidUD1213 Dec 2003Nuremberg Arena, Nuremberg, GermanyRetained WBA and IBF super-middleweight titles
32Win32–0Mads Larsen126 Sep 2003Messe, Erfurt, GermanyRetained WBA and IBF super-middleweight titles
31Win31–0David StarieUD1214 Jun 2003Bördelandhalle, Magdeburg, GermanyRetained WBA and IBF super-middleweight titles
30Win30–0Byron MitchellSD1215 Mar 2003Max-Schmeling-Halle, Berlin, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title;
Won WBA super-middleweight title
29Win29–0Rudy MarkussenUD1216 Nov 2002Nuremberg Arena, Nuremberg, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title
28Win28–0Joe GattiTKO9, 2:4324 Aug 2002Arena Leipzig, Leipzig, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title
27Win27–0Thomas TateUD121 Jun 2002Nuremberg Arena, Nuremberg, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title
26Win26–0Rick ThornberryUD1216 Mar 2002Bördelandhalle, Magdeburg, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title
25Win25–0Anthony MundineKO10 1 Dec 2001Westfalenhallen, Dortmund, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title
24Win24–0James ButlerUD121 Sep 2001Bördelandhalle, Magdeburg, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title
23Win23–0Ali EnnebatiTKO11, 2:2829 Jun 2001Nuremberg Arena, Nuremberg, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title
22Win22–0James CrawfordKO8, 2:5224 Mar 2001Bördelandhalle, Magdeburg, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title
21Win21–0Silvio BrancoUD1216 Dec 2000Europahalle, Karlsruhe, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title
20Win20–0Charles BrewerSD122 Sep 2000Bördelandhalle, Magdeburg, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title
19Win19–0Tocker PudwillUD123 Jun 2000Europahalle, Karlsruhe, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title
18Win18–0Lloyd BrianUD1211 Mar 2000Bördelandhalle, Magdeburg, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title
17Win17–0Glen JohnsonUD1227 Nov 1999Philips Halle, Düsseldorf, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title
16Win16–0Thomas Tate11, 0:254 Sep 1999Bördelandhalle, Magdeburg, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title;
Unanimous TD: Ottke cut from an accidental head clash
15Win15–0Gabriel HernándezUD128 May 1999Philips Halle, Düsseldorf, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title
14Win14–0Giovanni Nardiello3, 2:3027 Feb 1999Max-Schmeling-Halle, Berlin, GermanyRetained IBF super-middleweight title
13Win13–0Charles Brewer1224 Oct 1998Düsseldorf, GermanyWon IBF super-middleweight title
12Win12–0William KrijnenUD1022 Aug 1998Leipzig Trade Fair, Leipzig, Germany
11Win11–0Asmir VojnovićUD1230 May 1998Riesa, GermanyWon WBC International light-heavyweight title
10Win10–0Stephane NizardUD821 Mar 1998Max-Schmeling-Halle, Berlin, Germany
9Win9–0Allen Smith528 Feb 1998Westfalenhallen, Dortmund, Germany
8Win8–0Ali SaidiUD1013 Dec 1997Düsseldorf, GermanyWon German light-heavyweight title
7Win7–0Roman BabaevUD818 Oct 1997Vienna, Austria
6Win6–0Fermin ChirinoUD630 Aug 1997Max-Schmeling-Halle, Berlin, Germany
5Win5–0Yuri FilipkoUD822 Jun 1997Cologne, Germany
4Win4–0Andy Flute61 Jun 1997Riesa, Germany
3Win3–0Teymuraz KekelidzePTS626 Apr 1997Leipzig, Germany
2Win2–0Jason HartTKO2, 1:4413 Apr 1997Cologne, Germany
1Win1–0Eric Davis622 Mar 1997Max-Schmeling-Halle, Berlin, Germany