General Information

Undefeated IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham is special in more ways than just one. Not only did he rise to stardom in less than two-and-a-half years after starting his professional career. But King Arthur, as he is known to his admirers, also wrote boxing history when he proved his lion heart in a bloody battle with mandatory challenger Edison Miranda on Sept. 23, 2006. Back then, Abraham saw off the hard-punching challenger despite fighting with a broken jaw for the last eight rounds. His popularity has exploded since this incredible display of determination and skill, and he has been a regular visitor to the most famous TV productions ever since. “I never thought of giving up,” Abraham said of his legendary battle with the Colombian. “As a champion, you have to defy pain. It´s much better to have a broken jaw and the world championship title than just a broken jaw.”

Even without this courageous performance, Abraham´s boxing career would have been second to none. Joining trainer Ulli Wegner as an ambitious sparring partner for former WBA/IBF champion Sven Ottke, Abraham soon made a name for himself. All of his first 14 fights ended early. He then claimed the scalps of Ian Gardner, Hector Javier Velazco and Howard Eastman to put himself in line for a world title shot. On Dec. 10, 2005, he knocked out Kingsley Ikeke in a battle for the vacant IBF middleweight belt. Shannan Taylor and Kofi Jantuah fell victim to him in the following before Miranda´s bid came up short. With 22 screws and two titanium plates inside his jaw, he scored a third-round stoppage of Sebastien Demers in Bamberg in May 2007. Three months later, Abraham hit the news again with a spectacular 11^th-round KO of mandatory challenger Khoren Gevor. A huge left hook flattened his opponent to stun the sell-out crowd in the Max-Schmeling-Halle and millions in front of the TV screens. “Everybody who wants to take the title away from me must be punished,” King Arthur said afterwards. “Winning is all that matters for me – it is a question of honour.” In December, Britain´s Wayne Elcock got a taste of Abraham´s power which helped him to a fifth-round TKO victory. One of his trademark assaults saw the challenger collapsing into the referee´s arms with 62 seconds to go in the fifth. In 2008, King Arthur recorded three further spectacular victories – all by the way of knock-out. In March, he dusted Elvin Ayala in the final round before celebrating a spectacular US debut with a smashing fourth-round KO victory over Miranda. In the hotly-anticipated rematch, King Arthur floored his opponents three times to prove his worth to the American audience. “I really enjoyed fighting in Florida,” King Arthur said. “I hope to come back soon.”

In November, Abraham retired mandatory challenger Raul Marquez, who decided he had taken enough punishment after six rounds. In December, Abraham was voted German boxer of the year for the third year in a row. He then clinched the 29th victory in as many fights when he cruised to an uncontested victory over Lajuan Simon in March. Three months later, he stopped Mahir Oral in impressive fashion, knocking down the brave challenger five times before his corner threw the towel. The fight was broadcast by U.S. premium TV station SHOWTIME, who had never televised a non-heavyweight title fight from Germany before. “It is a big honour to fight on SHOWTIME,” Abraham said. “I want to please my fans on both sides of the ocean.”

King Arthur will also play a movie role in the hotly-anticipated Max Schmeling movie. With Henry Maske impersonating one of the biggest German sporting heroes of all time, Abraham will play Richard Vogt, Schmeling´s last opponent. Just as in real life, Ulli Wegner will be in his corner. “It is a great honour and pleasure for both of us to be a part of this movie,” King Arthur said. “Working at the set is almost as hard as a training session. But it was a lot of fun.” The movie, which will hit cinemas in 2010, is directed by Uwe Boll.

Abraham resides in Berlin where he shares a house with his brother Alexander, who successfully fights at light middleweight.