Yves Ngabu


Yves Ngabu is a Belgian-French-Congolese professional boxer who is a former IBO World Cruiserweight champion after his win over Australian boxer Floyd Masson in september 2023.
He also held the European cruiserweight title from 2017 to 2019.

Professional career

Ngabu made his professional debut on 13 June 2011, scoring a four-round unanimous decision victory over Jessy Moreaux at Brielpoort in Deinze, Belgium.
After compiling a record of 8–0 he defeated Christophe Dufaux on 21 June 2014 in Lichtervelde, Belgium, capturing the vacant Belgian cruiserweight title via second-round technical knockout. After five more wins, four by stoppage, he won his second professional title, defeating Engin Karakaplan on 11 November 2015 in Zwevezele, Belgium, capturing the vacant WBC Francophone cruiserweight title via first-round knockout.
Following two eight-round UD victories – against Isosso Mondo in June and Alexander Kubich in November 2016 – Ngabu was scheduled to face Geoffrey Battelo for the vacant European Boxing Union champions#Cruiserweight|European cruiserweight title] on 4 June 2017 in Roeselare, Belgium. Battelo was forced to withdraw through injury after being involved in a car accident, prompting Mirko Larghetti to step in as a replacement. However, after Larghetti was also forced to withdraw two weeks before the bout with an illness, Tamas Lodi was brought in as a late replacement. Ngabu knocked Lodi down in the fourth round before the referee called a halt to the contest, handing Ngabu the European title via fourth-round TKO.
He made two successful defences of the title – a third-round TKO against Geoffrey Battelo in January 2018 and a UD against Micki Nielsen in February 2019 – before facing former British and Commonwealth cruiserweight champion, Lawrence Okolie, on 26 October 2019 at The O2 Arena in London. Ngabu post his title via seventh-round TKO after a left-hook right-hand combination sent Ngabu stumbling across the ring, prompting referee Robert Laine to step in and halt the contest.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
26WinKevin MartinezRTD6, 3:0029 Jun 2024Hotel Pullman, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the CongoRetained IBO cruiserweight title
25Win22–2 Floyd MassonTKO6, 2:329 Sep 2023Eatons Hill Hotel, Eatons Hill, AustraliaWon IBO cruiserweight title
24Loss21–2 Evgeny Tishchenko106 May 2023KRK Uralets, Ekaterinburg, Russia
2321–1 Brandon Deslaurier4, 3:007 Jun 2022Hotel Westin, Paris, FranceFor vacant WBO cruiserweight title
22Win21–1Giorgi KopadzeKO1, 2:0522 Apr 2022Ledegem, Belgium
21Loss20–1Lawrence OkolieTKO7, 2:2826 Oct 2019The O2 Arena, London, EnglandLost European cruiserweight title
20Win20–0Micki NielsenUD1216 Feb 2019Sporthal Schiervelde, Roeselare, BelgiumRetained European cruiserweight title
19Win19–0Geoffrey BatteloTKO3 27 Jan 2018Arenahal, Deurne, BelgiumRetained European cruiserweight title
18Win18–0Tamas LodiTKO4 4 Jun 2017Roeselare, BelgiumWon vacant European cruiserweight title
17Win17–0Alexander KubichUD811 Nov 2016Sporthal De zwaluw, Zwevezele, Belgium
16Win16–0Isossa MondoUD84 Jun 2016Sporthal Schiervelde, Roeselare, Belgium
15Win15–0Engin KarakaplanKO1, 2:4611 Nov 2015Zwevezele, BelgiumWon vacant WBC Francophone cruiserweight title
14Win14–0Peter ErdosTKO3 26 Sep 2015Hooglede, Belgium
13Win13–0Gabriel LacrosnierTKO4 28 Feb 2015Ghelamco Arena, Ghent, Belgium
12Win12–0Cedric Kalonji2, 3:0025 Dec 2014Izegem, Belgium
11Win11–0Antoine BoyaKO8, 1:4511 Nov 2014Zwevezele, Belgium
10Win10–0Sylvain LuceUD827 Sep 2014Zaal Ogierlande, Hooglede, Belgium
9Win9–0Christophe DufauxTKO2 21 Jun 2014Lichtervelde, BelgiumFor vacant Belgian cruiserweight title
8Win8–0Fabrice Clement3 20 Apr 2014Zwevezele, Belgium
7Win7–0Viktor SzalaiTKO1, 2:1313 Dec 2013Aalst, Belgium
6Win6–0Attila MakulaTKO3 11 Nov 2013Zwevezele, Belgium
5Win5–0Carlos Torres SuarezTKO4, 2:1515 Jun 2013Sporthall, Lichtervelde, Belgium
4Win4–0Astrando ArduinTKO5 25 Dec 2012Izegem, Belgium
3Win3–0Ruslan Bitarov1 29 Jun 2012Moorslede, Belgium
2Win2–0Antonio ManuelUD624 Jun 2011Feesttent, Torhout, Belgium
1Win1–0Jessy Moreaux413 Jun 2011Brielpoort, Deinze, Belgium

Personal life

His parents emigrated to France and Belgium from the Democratic Republic of Congo when his father, professional footballer Jean-Pierre Mbemba-Ngabu, was signed by R.S.C. Anderlecht; he later played for K.S.V. Roeselare during the time he was born. Ngabu holds both Congolese and French nationalities from his father.
Yves played in the lower leagues of Belgian football with KSKV Zwevezele as a forward.