Zsolt Erdei


Zsolt Erdei is a Hungarian former professional boxer who competed from 2000 to 2014. He held world championships in two weight classes, including the WBO and lineal light-heavyweight titles from 2004 to 2009, and the WBC cruiserweight title from 2009 to 2010. Erdei is the first boxer from Hungary to win world titles in two weight divisions. As an amateur, he won a bronze medal in the middleweight division at the 2000 Olympics. He also competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Amateur career

Erdei turned professional in December 2000 and won the WBO Inter-Continental light heavyweight title in October 2002. On 17 January 2004 Erdei won the Lineal and WBO light heavyweight titles from Julio César González by unanimous decision, and successfully defended the titles eleven times.
On 13 November 2009 he relinquished his WBO light heavyweight title and moved up to cruiserweight. Erdei defeated Giacobbe Fragomeni on 21 November 2009 for the WBC cruiserweight title. Most of Erdei's matches during his professional career were promoted by Universum boxing.
After announcing his retirement in January 2010 and thus relinquishing his claim as Lineal light heavyweight champion, Erdei decided to have more matches in 2011 in the US and fought Samson Onyango and Byron Mitchell as his first opponents there. The Mitchell fight which was set up by Lou DiBella ended with Erdei knocking Mitchell out in the 6th round.
Erdei finally returned on 30 March 2013, losing a 10-round split decision to Denis Grachev.
After retiring in 2014, Erdei made a comeback at the age of 51 on 20 December 2025, fighting out a six-round draw against 40 year old boxing debutant Attila Vegh in Budapest.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
35Win34–1Shalva JomardashviliUD109 Mar 2014Messzi István Sportcsarnok, Kecskemét, HungaryWon vacant WBO European light-heavyweight title
34Loss33–1Denis GrachevSD1030 Mar 2013Salle des Etoiles, Monte Carlo, Monaco
33Win33–0Byron MitchellTKO6, 1:584 Jun 2011Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
32Win32–0Samson OnyangoUD820 Nov 2010Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
31Win31–0Giacobbe FragomeniMD1221 Nov 2009Sparkassen-Arena, Kiel, GermanyWon WBC world champions#Cruiserweight|WBC cruiserweight title]
30Win30–0Yuri BarashianUD1210 Jan 2009Bördelandhalle, Magdeburg, GermanyRetained WBO light-heavyweight title
29Win29–0DeAndrey AbronUD1226 Apr 2008Freiberger Arena, Dresden, GermanyRetained WBO light-heavyweight title
28Win28–0Tito MendozaSD1224 Nov 2007Freiberger Arena, Dresden, GermanyRetained WBO light-heavyweight title
27Win27–0George BladesTKO11, 2:2716 Jun 2007SYMA Sports and Conference Centre, Budapest, HungaryRetained WBO light-heavyweight title
26Win26–0Danny SantiagoTKO8, 1:5527 Jan 2007Burg-Wächter Castello, Düsseldorf, GermanyRetained WBO light-heavyweight title
25Win25–0Thomas UlrichUD1229 Jul 2006König Pilsener Arena, Oberhausen, GermanyRetained WBO light-heavyweight title
24Win24–0Paul MurdochTKO10, 0:196 May 2006Burg-Wächter Castello, Düsseldorf, GermanyRetained WBO light-heavyweight title
23Win23–0Mehdi SahnouneTKO12, 2:1722 Oct 2005Brandberge Arena, Halle, GermanyRetained WBO light-heavyweight title
22Win22–0Hugo Garay1226 Feb 2005Color Line Arena, Hamburg, GermanyRetained WBO light-heavyweight title
21Win21–0Alejandro LakatosUD1211 Sep 2004Kisstadion, Budapest, HungaryRetained WBO light-heavyweight title
20Win20–0Hugo Garay128 May 2004Westfalenhallen, Dortmund, GermanyRetained WBO light-heavyweight title
19Win19–0Julio César GonzálezUD1217 Jan 2004Dm-Arena, Karlsruhe, GermanyWon WBO light-heavyweight title
18Win18–0Ramdane SerdjaneKO1 15 Nov 2003Oberfrankenhalle, Bayreuth, Germany
17Win17–0Juan NelongoUD126 Sep 2003Újszeged Sports Hall, Szeged, HungaryRetained WBO Inter-Continental light-heavyweight title
16Win16–0Massimiliano SaianiTKO7, 2:4312 Jul 2003Wilhelm Dopatka Halle, Leverkusen, GermanyRetained WBO Inter-Continental light-heavyweight title
15Win15–0Jose Hilton Dos SantosTKO10, 2:4529 Mar 2003Color Line Arena, Hamburg, GermanyRetained WBO Inter-Continental light-heavyweight title
14Win14–0Juan Carlos GiménezTKO8 23 Nov 2002Westfalenhallen, Dortmund, GermanyRetained WBO Inter-Continental light-heavyweight title
13Win13–0Jim MurrayKO5, 1:585 Oct 2002Főnix Aréna, Debrecen, HungaryWon vacant WBO Inter-Continental light-heavyweight title
12Win12–0Roberto CoelhoUD817 Aug 2002Estrel Hotel, Berlin, Germany
11Win11–0Daren WhitleyUD629 Jun 2002Etess Arena, Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
10Win10–0Anthony StephensKO2 16 Mar 2002Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Stuttgart, Germany
9Win9–0Jesse CoronaTKO4 15 Dec 2001Estrel Hotel, Berlin, Germany
8Win8–0Alban Girouard2, 0:553 Nov 2001Hansehalle, Lübeck, Germany
7Win7–0Julius GalTKO2 1 Sep 2001Berlin, Germany
6Win6–0Dennis MatthewsTKO3, 1:184 Aug 2001Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, US
5Win5–0Oleksandr GarashchenkoUD416 Jun 2001Kisstadion, Budapest, Hungary
4Win4–0Henry MobioKO4 7 Apr 2001Universum Gym, Hamburg, Germany
3Win3–0Dennis McKinney427 Jan 2001Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle, Munich, Germany
2Win2–0Willie McDonaldTKO2 16 Dec 2000Grugahalle, Essen, Germany
1Win1–0Philip Houthoofdt1 5 Dec 2000Universum Gym, Hamburg, Germany