# Denis Shafikov

Denis Fuatovich Shafikov (Bashkir: Денис Фуат улы Шафиҡов, romanized: Denis Fuat ulı Şafiqov, Russian: Шафиков Денис Фуатович; born 3 June 1985) is a Russian professional boxer. He held the European super-lightweight title from 2011 to 2013, and has challenged three times for the IBF lightweight title. In November 2017, Shafikov was ranked within the world's top ten active lightweights by The Ring magazine, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and BoxRec.

## Early life and amateur career

Born into a Bashkir family, Shafikov did not immediately take a liking to boxing when trying out different sports in childhood. He nonetheless began his amateur boxing career at 13 years old, in which he had "about 90 amateur fights and lost only 6 of them." His decision to turn professional was based on wanting to earn money for his family, rather than medals.

## Professional career

Shafikov has been trained by Abel Sanchez since 2015. He made his professional debut on 30 November 2003, winning a four-round unanimous decision over Pavel Lyakhov, who also debuted. For the next eleven years, Shafikov would remain undefeated while fighting mainly in Finland, having moved there in 2007. On 29 October 2010, he fought to a majority draw against Brunet Zamora, with the regional WBA Inter-Continental light-welterweight title on the line. A year later, on 23 September 2011, Shafikov won his first major regional championship—the European light-welterweight title—by forcing veteran contender Giuseppe Lauri to retire in his corner. Two successful defences of the title were made in 2012: the first was against Lee McAllister on 25 February, which ended in an eighth-round corner retirement. The second was a rematch with Zamora on 31 May, which Shafikov won via unanimous decision.

### Shafikov vs. Vasquez

On 22 February 2014, Shafikov travelled to Macau to face IBF lightweight champion Miguel Vázquez. In what was described as a "lightweight title fight that completely sucked the air out of [the] venue" due to "clinching, headbutts and lots of other matters that don't quite reflect actual fighting", Vázquez went on to hand Shafikov his first professional loss in a lacklustre unanimous decision.

### Shafikov vs. Barthelemy

The following year, on 18 December, Shafikov received another opportunity to fight for the vacant IBF lightweight title, this time against Rances Barthelemy, but lost again via unanimous decision.

### Shafikov vs. Herring

Shafikov returned on 2 July 2016 in emphatic style, beating down and stopping undefeated lightweight prospect Jamel Herring in the tenth and final round.

### Shafikov vs. Easter Jr

On 30 June 2017, in his third world title challenge, Shafikov lost a competitive unanimous decision against IBF lightweight champion Robert Easter Jr., in a hard-hitting slugfest. The scorecards read 120-108, 120-108 and 116-112 in favour of Easter Jr.

### Shafikov vs. Alvarado

In his next bout, Shafikov faced Rene Alvarado, who was ranked #10 by the WBA at super featherweight. Shafikov lost the fight via split decision.

## Personal life

Despite his nickname of "Genghis Khan", Shafikov is of Bashkir rather than Mongol ethnicity. The nickname was given to him by his Finnish promoter Pekka Mäki, with Shafikov saying that he wants to "conquer the world as Genghis Khan did." His favourite boxers include Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao.

## Professional boxing record

| 46 fights | 40 wins | 4 losses |
| By knockout | 20 | 0 |
| By decision | 19 | 4 |
| By disqualification | 1 | 0 |
| Draws | 2 | 2 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 46 | Draw | 40–4–2 | Gaybatulla Gadzhialiev | MD | 10 | 9 Feb 2019 | Galaktika Culture Centre, Estosadok, Russia | |
| 45 | Win | 40–4–1 | Jhon Gemino | UD | 10 | 21 Jul 2018 | Olympic Stadium, Moscow, Russia | |
| 44 | Win | 39–4–1 | Hector Ruben Ambriz Suarez | UD | 8 | 6 Jun 2018 | Avalon Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US | |
| 43 | Loss | 38–4–1 | René Alvarado | SD | 10 | 9 Dec 2017 | Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, US | |
| 42 | Loss | 38–3–1 | Robert Easter Jr. | UD | 12 | 30 Jun 2017 | Huntington Center, Toledo, Ohio, US | For IBF lightweight title |
| 41 | Win | 38–2–1 | Richard Commey | SD | 12 | 7 Dec 2016 | Tough Fight Gym, Moscow, Russia | |
| 40 | Win | 37–2–1 | Jamel Herring | TKO | 10 (10), 0:36 | 2 Jul 2016 | Santander Arena, Reading, Pennsylvania, US | |
| 39 | Loss | 36–2–1 | Rances Barthelemy | UD | 12 | 18 Dec 2015 | Pearl Concert Theater, Paradise, Nevada, US | For vacant IBF lightweight title |
| 38 | Win | 36–1–1 | Roy Mukhlis | TKO | 3 (10), 1:14 | 17 Jul 2015 | Cotai Arena, Macau, SAR | |
| 37 | Win | 35–1–1 | Miguel Angel Mendoza | UD | 8 | 13 Dec 2014 | Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, US | |
| 36 | Win | 34–1–1 | Rustam Nugaev | TKO | 9 (12), 1:16 | 15 Aug 2014 | Chumash Casino Resort, Santa Ynez, California, US | |
| 35 | Loss | 33–1–1 | Miguel Vázquez | UD | 12 | 22 Feb 2014 | Cotai Arena, Macau, SAR | For IBF lightweight title |
| 34 | Win | 33–0–1 | Santos Benavides | TKO | 7 (10), 0:10 | 17 Aug 2013 | Energy Arena, Laredo, Texas, US | |
| 33 | Win | 32–0–1 | Alisher Rahimov | DQ | 11 (12), 2:24 | 16 Mar 2013 | Sports Palace "Znamya", Noginsk, Russia | Won WBC Baltic and vacant WBC–CISBB lightweight titles; Rahimov disqualified for repeated low blows |
| 32 | Win | 31–0–1 | Albert Mensah | UD | 12 | 1 Dec 2012 | Parque Andres Quintana Roo, Cozumel, Mexico | Won IBF International and vacant WBC Baltic light-welterweight titles |
| 31 | Win | 30–0–1 | James Onyango | UD | 8 | 18 Sep 2012 | Varshavka Sky, Moscow, Russia | |
| 30 | Win | 29–0–1 | Brunet Zamora | UD | 12 | 31 May 2012 | Ufa Arena, Ufa, Russia | Retained European light-welterweight title |
| 29 | Win | 28–0–1 | Lee McAllister | RTD | 8 (12), 0:01 | 25 Feb 2012 | AECC, Aberdeen, Scotland | Retained European light-welterweight title |
| 28 | Win | 27–0–1 | Giuseppe Lauri | RTD | 8 (12), 3:00 | 23 Sep 2011 | Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland | Won vacant European light-welterweight title |
| 27 | Win | 26–0–1 | Nugzar Margvelashvili | TKO | 5 (8), 1:53 | 4 Mar 2011 | Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 26 | Draw | 25–0–1 | Brunet Zamora | MD | 12 | 29 Oct 2010 | Yubileyny Sports Palace, Saint Petersburg, Russia | For WBA Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 25 | Win | 25–0 | Peter Semo | UD | 8 | 4 Sep 2010 | Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 24 | Win | 24–0 | Leonardo Resendiz | RTD | 6 (8), 3:00 | 22 Jul 2010 | Restaurant Orizzonte, Jūrmala, Latvia | |
| 23 | Win | 23–0 | Bobir Normatov | KO | 1 (8), 1:05 | 30 Jun 2010 | Club "East-West", Saint Petersburg, Russia | |
| 22 | Win | 22–0 | Fernando Trejo | UD | 12 | 24 Oct 2009 | Urheilutalo, Helsinki, Finland | Won vacant IBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 21 | Win | 21–0 | Aliaksei Volchan | TKO | 2 (10), 1:26 | 25 Sep 2009 | Atmosphere Night Club, Saint Petersburg, Russia | |
| 20 | Win | 20–0 | John Cotterill, Jr. | TKO | 1 (8), 2:00 | 30 May 2009 | Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 19 | Win | 19–0 | Juan Carlos Rodriguez | UD | 8 | 18 Apr 2009 | Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 18 | Win | 18–0 | Decho Kokietgym | TKO | 2 (8), 1:00 | 14 Feb 2009 | Pyynikin palloiluhalli, Tampere, Finland | |
| 17 | Win | 17–0 | Raul Horacio Balbi | TD | 6 (8), 0:28 | 28 Nov 2008 | Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland | Unanimous TD after Balbi cut from accidental head clash |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Andrzej Sark | TKO | 2 (8), 2:15 | 30 Aug 2008 | LänsiAuto Areena, Tampere, Finland | |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Shawn Gallegos | UD | 10 | 18 Apr 2008 | Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 14 | Win | 13–1 | Sergejs Savrinovics | RTD | 3 (8), 3:00 | 1 Feb 2008 | Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Alexander Saltykov | KO | 4 (10) | 20 Dec 2007 | Favorit Gym, Vyborg, Russia | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Nizar Boubaker | TKO | 2 (8), 1:08 | 22 Oct 2007 | Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Cristian Frias | UD | 8 | 18 May 2007 | Urheilutalo, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Vitaly Olkhovik | TKO | 2 (6) | 17 Nov 2006 | Zimniy Stadion, Saint Petersburg, Russia | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Alexander Saltykov | RTD | 7 (8), 3:00 | 21 Jul 2006 | Vyborg Castle, Vyborg, Russia | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Leonti Vorontsuk | UD | 4 | 18 Dec 2005 | Central Culture Palace, Vyborg, Russia | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Andrei Sherel | KO | 2 (6) | 11 May 2005 | Minsk, Belarus | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Pavel Melnikov | UD | 8 | 11 Feb 2005 | Yubileyny Sports Palace, Saint Petersburg, Russia | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Uladzimir Narushevich | TKO | 1 (6) | 9 Dec 2004 | Reaktor Club, Minsk, Belarus | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Filip Bystrikov | UD | 6 | 16 Jun 2004 | State Circus, Minsk, Belarus | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Leonti Vorontsuk | UD | 4 | 15 May 2004 | Parc Kronstadt, Saint Petersburg, Russia | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Vadzim Astapuk | UD | 4 | 25 Feb 2004 | Reaktor Club, Minsk, Belarus | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Pavel Lyakhov | UD | 4 | 30 Nov 2003 | Vyborg, Russia | |