# Firat Arslan

Firat Arslan (born 28 September 1970) is a German professional boxer of Turkish descent who held the WBA cruiserweight title from 2007 to 2008. He also challenged twice for the WBO cruiserweight title in 2012 and 2014 and once for the IBF cruiserweight title in 2014

## Professional career

Southpaw Arslan began his professional career in 1997 and won his first 13 fights with aggressive brawling before dropping back to back decisions to Collice Mutizwa and Rüdiger May. His biggest success in the early phase of his career was a draw against unbeaten Russian Vadim Tokarev in 2003 but he lost his next fight to Czech Lubos Suda. In 2005 he beat local hero Alexander Petkovic and his career picked up momentum. His big breakthrough was entirely unexpected, though, as he managed to not only dominate but also KO unbeaten Russian fringe contender Grigory Drozd. For that he got a title shot in July 2007 and captured the interim WBA cruiserweight title with a split decision win over yet another Russian in Valery Brudov. Later that year he bested 43-year-old Virgil Hill for the WBA title. He beat contender Darnell Wilson on 3 May 2008 in Germany by unanimous decision.
He lost his title against Panamanian Guillermo Jones in Hamburg, on 27 September 2008, one day before his birthday. After the loss to Jones, Arslan took an extended leave from boxing and returned almost two years later to face unheralded Steve Hérélius for the interim title. Arslan was in front but at the end of the 11th round he was unable to continue because of a syncope.
In 2014, Arslan fought Yoan Pablo Hernandez for a chance to take Hernandez's cruiserweight belt, but lost in a tightly contested match with scores of: 115–113, 116–113, and 113–115.

## Professional boxing record

| 67 fights | 55 wins | 9 losses |
| By knockout | 40 | 4 |
| By decision | 15 | 5 |
| Draws | 3 | 3 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 67 | Win | 55–9–3 | Edin Puhalo | TKO | 6 (12) | 2023-10-21 | EWS Arena, Goeppingen, Germany | Won WBA Gold cruiserweight title |
| 66 | Win | 54–9–3 | Ibrahim Yildirim | KO | 1 (10) | 2023-05-27 | Helios Arena, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany | |
| 65 | Win | 53–9–3 | Jackson dos Santos | TKO | 2 (10) | 2022-12-17 | Firat Arslan Sportcenter, Goeppingen, Germany | |
| 64 | Win | 52–9–3 | Juan Rodolfo Juarez | TKO | 2 (10) | 2022-07-15 | Historische Stadthalle, Wuppertal, Germany | |
| 63 | Win | 51–9–3 | Toni Thes | TKO | 2 (10) | 2022-03-26 | Firat Arslan Sportcenter, Goeppingen, Germany | |
| 62 | Win | 50–9–3 | Alejandro Berrio | KO | 4 (12), 2:40 | 2021-12-04 | Sartory-Saal, Cologne, Germany | Retained WBA International cruiserweight titles |
| 61 | Win | 49–9–3 | Ruben Eduardo Acosta | TKO | 4 (12), 2:56 | 2021-07-24 | Firat Arslan Sportcenter, Baden-Würrtemburg, Germany | Won vacant WBA International cruiserweight title |
| 60 | Win | 48–9–3 | Gusmyr Pedromo | KO | 3 (10), 0:45 | 2021-03-06 | Firat Arslan Sportcenter, Baden-Württemburg, Germany | |
| 59 | Loss | 47–9–3 | Kevin Lerena | TKO | 6 (12), 1:13 | 2020-02-08 | EWS Arena, Baden-Württemburg, Germany | For IBO cruiserweight title |
| 58 | Win | 47–8–3 | Sami Enbom | KO | 3 (10), 0:30 | 2019-09-14 | Verti Music Hall, Berlin, Germany | |
| 57 | Win | 46–8–3 | Cesar David Crenz | KO | 2 (10), 0:30 | 2019-06-22 | Germany | |
| 56 | Win | 45–8–3 | Ricardo Marcelo Ramallo | TKO | 3 (12), 0:47 | 2019-04-13 | Ülker Spor Arena, Istanbul, Turkey | Retained GBU cruiserweight title |
| 55 | Draw | 44–8–3 | Sefer Seferi | MD | 12 | 2018-11-17 | Goeppingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | Retained GBU cruiserweight title |
| 54 | Win | 44–8–2 | Pascal Ndomba | KO | 2 (12), 1:55 | 2018-09-22 | Istanbul, Turkey | Retained GBU cruiserweight title |
| 53 | Win | 43–8–2 | Pablo Matias Magrini | KO | 1 (12), 1:55 | 2018-06-16 | Wildparkstadion, Karlsruhe, Germany | Won GBU cruiserweight title |
| 52 | Win | 42–8–2 | Isaac Paa Kwesi Ankrah | KO | 1 (10), 2:45 | 2018-05-19 | Spor Salonu, Trabzon, Turkey | Won vacant WBO Inter-Continental cruiserweight title |
| 51 | Win | 41–8–2 | Alejandro Emilio Valori | KO | 7 (10), | 2017-10-07 | EWS Arena, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | |
| 50 | Win | 40–8–2 | Goran Delic | TKO | 6 (12), 2:02 | 2017-07-15 | EWS Arena, Göppingen, Germany | Won vacant WBO European cruiserweight title |
| 49 | Win | 39–8–2 | Gezim Tahiri | RTD | 2 (10), 3:00 | 2017-03-18 | Silence Hotel, Istanbul, Turkey | |
| 48 | Win | 38–8–2 | Nuri Seferi | UD | 12 | 2016-09-17 | Göppingen, Germany | Won vacant WBO European cruiserweight title |
| 47 | Win | 37–8–2 | Claudio Morroni Porto | KO | 1 (8), 2:35 | 2016-06-04 | Autohaus Duerkop, Kassel, Hessen, Germany | |
| 46 | Win | 36–8–2 | Paata Aduashvili | KO | 2 (12), 2:33 | 2015-11-07 | MHP Arena, Ludwigsburg, Germany | |
| 45 | Win | 35–8–2 | Gyula Bozai | UD | 8 | 2015-05-02 | ASV Halle, Dachau, Bayern, Germany | |
| 44 | Loss | 34–8–2 | Yoan Pablo Hernandez | SD | 12 | 2014-08-16 | Messehalle, Erfurt, Thüringen, Germany | For IBF and The Ring cruiserweight titles |
| 43 | Win | 34–7–2 | Tamas Bajzath | UD | 8 | 2014-06-07 | Sport and Congress Center, Schwerin, Germany | |
| 42 | Loss | 33–7–2 | Marco Huck | TKO | 6 (12), 1:56 | 2014-01-25 | Hanns-Martin-Schleyer Halle, Stuttgart, Germany | For WBO cruiserweight title |
| 41 | Win | 33–6–2 | Varol Vekiloglu | UD | 10 | 2013-04-27 | Sporthalle, Alsterdorf, Hamburg, Germany | |
| 40 | Loss | 32–6–2 | Marco Huck | UD | 12 | 2012-11-03 | Gerry Weber Stadium, Halle, Germany | For WBO cruiserweight title |
| 39 | Draw | 32–5–2 | Aleksandr Alekseyev | MD | 12 | 2012-05-11 | EWS Arena, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | For European cruiserweight title |
| 38 | Win | 32–5–1 | Orlando Antonio Farias | TKO | 2 (10), 2:18 | 2012-01-28 | Grand Elysée, Rotherbaum, Hamburg, Germany | |
| 37 | Win | 31–5–1 | Lubos Suda | TKO | 5 (12), 2:41 | 2011-07-15 | EWS Arena, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | Won vacant PABA and IBF International cruiserweight titles |
| 36 | Win | 30–5–1 | Michal Bilak | TKO | 3 (8), 2:39 | 2011-04-01 | Digibet Pferdesportpark, Berlin, Germany | |
| 35 | Loss | 29–5–1 | Steve Herelius | RTD | 11 (12), 3:00 | 2010-07-03 | Porsche-Arena, Stuttgart, Germany | For WBA interim cruiserweight title |
| 34 | Loss | 29–4–1 | Guillermo Jones | TKO | 10 (12), 2:33 | 2008-09-27 | Color Line Arena, Hamburg, Germany | Lost WBA cruiserweight title |
| 33 | Win | 29–3–1 | Darnell Wilson | UD | 12 | 2008-05-03 | Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Stuttgart, Germany | Retained WBA (Regular) cruiserweight title |
| 32 | Win | 28–3–1 | Virgil Hill | UD | 12 | 2007-11-24 | Freiberger Arena, Dresden, Germany | Won WBA (Regular) cruiserweight title |
| 31 | Win | 27–3–1 | Valery Brudov | SD | 12 | 2007-06-16 | SYMA Sports Centre, Budapest, Hungary | Won WBA interim cruiserweight title |
| 30 | Win | 26–3–1 | Grigory Drozd | TKO | 5 (12) | 2006-10-28 | Porsche-Arena, Stuttgart, Germany | |
| 29 | Win | 25–3–1 | Gabor Halasz | TKO | 2 (12) | 2006-05-23 | Sportna Dvoran Center, Ptuj, Slovenia | Retained WBO Inter-Continental cruiserweight title |
| 28 | Win | 24–3–1 | Carlos Cruzat | UD | 12 | 2005-11-15 | Hohenstaufenhalle, Goeppingen, Germany | Won WBO Inter-Continental cruiserweight title |
| 27 | Win | 23–3–1 | Wlodek Kopec | KO | 1 (8), 1:35 | 2005-05-28 | Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Stuttgart, Germany | |
| 26 | Win | 22–3–1 | Alexander Petkovic | TKO | 7 (12) | 2005-01-18 | Kugelbake-Halle, Cuxhaven, Germany | Won vacant WBO Inter-Continental cruiserweight title |
| 25 | Win | 21–3–1 | Lee Manuel Ossie | UD | 10 | 2004-07-31 | Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Stuttgart, Germany | Won vacant EBU-EU (European Union) cruiserweight title |
| 24 | Win | 20–3–1 | Marco Heinichen | KO | 5 (10) | 2004-03-20 | Maritim Hotel, Cologne, Germany | Won vacant BDB German cruiserweight title |
| 23 | Win | 19–3–1 | Mircea Telecan | TKO | 2 (6) | 2004-01-17 | Rhein-Mosel-Halle, Koblenz, Germany | |
| 22 | Loss | 18–3–1 | Lubos Suda | UD | 12 | 2003-12-12 | Hotel Hilton, Prague, Czech Republic | |
| 21 | Draw | 18–2–1 | Vadim Tokarev | PTS | 12 | 2003-08-16 | Nuerburgring, Nuerburg, Germany | For IBF Inter-Continental cruiserweight title |
| 20 | Win | 18–2 | Bruce Oezbek | UD | 10 | 2003-05-24 | Neuwieder Heimathaus, Neuwied, Germany | Won vacant BDB International cruiserweight title |
| 19 | Win | 17–2 | Mircea Telecan | TKO | 2 (6) | 2002-09-07 | Neuwieder Heimathaus, Neuwied, Germany | |
| 18 | Win | 16–2 | Cosmin Pocora | KO | 1 (4) | 2002-06-15 | Kandel, Germany | |
| 17 | Win | 15–2 | Mihai Iftode | PTS | 4 (4) | 2002-06-08 | Fernwaldhalle, Giessen, Germany | |
| 16 | Win | 14–2 | Mark Hobson | TKO | 7 (8) | 2001-10-08 | Metrodome, Barnsley, England, U.K. | |
| 15 | Loss | 13–2 | Rüdiger May | UD | 10 | 2001-05-19 | Maritim Hotel, Cologne, Germany | For BDB German cruiserweight title |
| 14 | Loss | 13–1 | Collice Mutizwa | PTS | 6 | 2000-12-08 | National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace, England, U.K. | |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Tony Booth | TKO | 2 (6) | 2000-10-31 | Novotel Hotel, Hammersmith, England, U.K. | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Chris Woollas | TKO | 2 (8) | 2000-07-13 | York Hall, Bethnal Green, England, U.K. | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Yves Monsieur | KO | 2 (8) | 2000-05-27 | Koblenz, Germany | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Zoltan Petranyi | KO | 3 (6) | 1999-10-16 | Rhein-Mosel-Halle, Koblenz, Germany | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Zoltan Beres | PTS | 8 | 1999-08-21 | Dresden, Germany | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Frantisek Pacalaj | TKO | 2 (6) | 1999-06-19 | Vienna, Austria | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Zoltan Kovacs | KO | 1 (6) | 1999-03-27 | Dresden, Germany | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Wesly Dramasky | KO | 2 (6) | 1998-11-14 | Koblenz, Germany | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Patrik Akerlund | SD | 6 (6) | 1998-07-22 | Outrup Speedwaybane, Outrup, Denmark | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Ladislav Olah | TKO | 2 (6) | 1998-04-21 | Leganes, Spain | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Roman Nikodem | KO | 2 (6) | 1997-11-29 | Ingelmunster, Belgium | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Kevin Mitchell | PTS | 4 (4) | 1997-09-02 | Elephant & Castle Centre, Southwark, England, U.K. | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Zsolt Janko | PTS | 4 (4) | 1997-01-25 | Maritim Hotel, Stuttgart, Germany | |