# Branko Sobot

Branko Šobot (born 12 January 1972 in Zagreb, Croatia) is a Croatian former professional boxer, who held the IBF Inter-Continental middleweight and super middleweight titles and challenged for the WBO World Super middleweight title, losing against Joe Calzaghe by 3rd-round TKO.

## Amateur

Šobot became Croatian amateur champion in 1994 defeating Stjepan Božić by split decision.

## Pro

Šobot's debut came on January 7, 1995, with a knockout of Bosnian, Savo Janković. On 1 March 1996, Šobot fought and defeated Orhan Ajvazoski for the German International middleweight title in Frankfurt and went on to make two more successful defences in the city and later two more in Offenbach and Oberhausen. After nine wins, Šobot successfully fought for the IBF Inter-Continental middleweight title, defeating experienced title holder Salvador Yanez.
Šobot's next major challenge came on January 25, 1997, when he faced future world champion Hacine Cherifi for the EBU (European) middleweight title. After a 12-round fight, the Frenchman defeated Šobot on points, Šobots only defeat after 11 wins.
On the January 24, 1998, Šobot made his first and only World title challenge. Moving up to Super Middleweight, he faced Joe Calzaghe who was making his first defence since winning the WBO World super middleweight title off Chris Eubank. Šobot was brought in as a late replacement for American Tarick Salmaci. Despite beating the count after getting knocked down in the third round, the Croatian came under renewed punishment, with the Welshman landing blows from all angles, prompting the referee to stop the fight, making it Šobot's first TKO loss.
In November 1999, after two recovery wins back in Germany, Šobot faced unbeaten Mario Veit for the vacant German International super middleweight title, losing the ten round contest by unanimous decision.
His next fight was more successful, as he won the IBF Inter-Continental super middleweight title in his home country with a sixth round stoppage over Francis Fofoh. This took his career record up to 17-3-0 at the turn of the millennium, although the rest of his career would be less victory filled. In his next nine fights he would win just twice, facing tough competition against the likes of Danilo Haussler, Arthur Abraham, Mger Mkrtchyan and Konni Konrad.
On the 16 December 2004, Šobot fought his last bout, losing to undefeated and future WBO World super middleweight champion Denis Inkin by second-round TKO.

## Professional boxing record

| 30 fights | 19 wins | 11 losses |
| By knockout | 10 | 4 |
| By decision | 9 | 7 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 30 | Loss | 19–11 | Denis Inkin | TKO | 2 (8) | 16 Dec 2004 | Centr na Tulskoy, Moscow, Russia | |
| 29 | Loss | 19–10 | Lansana Diallo | UD | 8 | 4 Dec 2004 | Palais du Midi, Brussels, Belgium | |
| 28 | Win | 19–9 | Admir Kurtić | KO | 2 (6) | 7 Nov 2004 | Široki Brijeg, West Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| 27 | Loss | 18–9 | Konni Konrad | MD | 8 | 16 Oct 2004 | Maritim Hotel, Cologne, Germany | |
| 26 | Loss | 18–8 | Roman Aramyan | PTS | 6 | 25 Sep 2004 | Ballei-Halle, Neckarsulm, Germany | |
| 25 | Loss | 18–7 | Mger Mkrtchyan | TKO | 2 (8), 2:21 | 24 Jul 2004 | Brandenburg Halle, Frankfurt an der Oder, Germany | |
| 24 | Loss | 18–6 | Arthur Abraham | TKO | 2 (8), 2:05 | 27 Mar 2004 | Bordelandhalle, Magdeburg, Germany | |
| 23 | Win | 18–5 | Orhan Ajvazoski | UD | 6 | 29 Sep 2001 | Stadthalle, Offenbach am Main, Germany | |
| 22 | Loss | 17–5 | Danilo Häussler | UD | 8 | 6 May 2000 | Ballsporthalle, Frankfurt, Germany | |
| 21 | Loss | 17–4 | Norbert Nieroba | PTS | 8 | 25 Sep 1999 | Kölnarena, Cologne, Germany | |
| 20 | Win | 17–3 | Francis Fofoh | TKO | 6 (12) | 10 Jul 1999 | Amphitheater Arena, Pula, Croatia | Won vacant IBF Inter-Continental super middleweight title |
| 19 | Loss | 16–3 | Mario Veit | UD | 10 | 14 Nov 1998 | Circus Krone, Munich, Germany | For vacant German International super middleweight title |
| 18 | Win | 16–2 | Rob Bleakley | UD | 8 | 22 Aug 1998 | Sport und Erholungszentrum, Berlin, Germany | |
| 17 | Win | 15–2 | Terry Ford | PTS | 8 | 5 Jun 1998 | Sporthalle Wandsbek, Hamburg, Germany | |
| 16 | Loss | 14–2 | Joe Calzaghe | TKO | 3 (12), 1:35 | 24 Jan 1998 | Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff, Wales | For WBO super middleweight title |
| 15 | Win | 14–1 | Bahre Ahmeti | UD | 10 | 6 Dec 1997 | Stadthalle, Offenbach am Main, Germany | Retained German International middleweight title |
| 14 | Win | 13–1 | Anthony Ivory | PTS | 8 | 23 Aug 1997 | Maritim Hotel, Stuttgart, Germany | |
| 13 | Win | 12–1 | Bagrat Makhkamov | TKO | 6 (10) | 13 Jun 1997 | Arena Oberhausen, Oberhausen, Germany | Won vacant German International middleweight title |
| 12 | Loss | 11–1 | Hacine Cherifi | UD | 12 | 25 Jan 1997 | Maritim Hotel, Stuttgart, Germany | For European middleweight title |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Milko Stoikov | TKO | 3 (8) | 21 Dec 1996 | Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Salvador Yáñez | TKO | 10 (12) | 19 Oct 1996 | Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany | Won vacant IBF Inter-Continental middleweight title |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Stefan Magyar | TKO | 2 (8) | 17 Aug 1996 | Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Orhan Ajvazoski | PTS | 10 | 6 Jul 1996 | Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany | Retained German International middleweight title |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Horace Fleary | UD | 10 | 4 May 1996 | Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany | Retained German International middleweight title |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Orhan Ajvazoski | PTS | 10 | 1 Mar 1996 | Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany | Won vacant German International middleweight title |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Milan Masný | KO | 3 (8), 2:10 | 8 Sep 1995 | Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Ibrahim Alpasaln | TKO | 5 (6) | 8 Jul 1995 | Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Isidore Janvier | TKO | 4 (4) | 6 May 1995 | Neuwied, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Jan Heinemann | UD | 4 | 11 Feb 1995 | Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Savo Janković | KO | 1 (4) | 7 Jan 1995 | Neuwied, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany | |