Dariusz "The Tiger" Michalczewski

Division: Light heavyweight

Height: 6'1"

Hailing from: Gdansk, Poland now resides in Hamburg, Germany

DOB: 5-5-68

Trainer: Fritz Sdunek

Amateur Credentials: 139-11, 89 KOs, 1991 European Light Heavyweight Champion

IBF Intercontinental Champion 1993

WBO Cruiserweight Champion 1994

WBA/IBF Light Heavyweight Champion 1997

First German boxer to hold world titles in two weight classes

First Light Heavyweight in history to unify three world title belts

Current Title: WBO Light Heavyweight Champion since 1994

REVIEW THE LATEST INFORMATION ON DARIUSZ MICHALCZWESKI

POST FIGHT QUOTE:

"We knew that the first fight against Hall was very exciting. Now everybody has seen that it was a good decision to do it again. Didn't we all have a lot of fun?"

DARIUSZ MICHALCZWESKI STOPS RICHARD HALL IN 10 ROUNDS THE SECOND TIME AROUND

Dariusz Michalczewski retains his WBO light heavyweight title after stopping a very game Richard Hall with 1:48 left in the tenth round of their bout staged Saturday, September 14. The action was bloody and relentless, with "The Tiger" looking the worst for wear, his face bloodied and his left eye badly swollen.

Hurt but not defeated, Michalczewski rocked Hall with some hard blows to the head prompting referee Rudy Battle to call it a night. The hard fought rematch marks the champion's twenty second title defense, and his 47th win.

DARIUSZ MICHALCZWESKI STOPS RICHARD HALL IN 10 ROUNDS

Dariusz Michalczewski stops Richard Hall in 11. A fight that was close in the early rounds, most of which went to Hall by all witnesses accounts, ended as a TKO stoppage for Dariusz Michalcweski.

Dariusz' jab started to take a toll on Hall's eye from the seventh round on and by the eleventh round the eye was completely closed, making Hall an easy target for Dariusz' left hand.

The referee summoned the ring physician who decided that the fight should be stopped. Hall begged to be allowed to continue, and there were boos from many fans who weren't happy to see Richard Hall denied.

In the post fight press conference Dariusz called out Roy Jones Jr., adding that he has never said he is averse to coming to the States to fight Roy. Sooo, what's the problem?

Click here for more on Richard Hall.

4/20/2002 - WBO Light Heavyweight championship - DARIUSZ MICHALCZWESKI (45-0) vs JOEY de GRANDIS (29-4, 13 KOs)

On April 20, Dariusz Michalczewski for the first time as a professional boxer will step into the ring in Gdansk, the place where the WBO light heavyweight champion was born on May 5, 1968.

"It was always my dream to defend my world title in Gdansk, the place where I was born," said Michalczewski. "I've been waiting for this day for a long time. Now my dream finally becomes a reality."

His challenger will be American Joey de Grandis, 29-4, 13 KOs.

VIRGIL HILL ON DARIUSZ MICHALCZEWSKI

"...I know that Dariusz would be in a lot of trouble with a guy that uses a lot of movement... As for Roy Jones, I don't know if Roy has had the kind of pressure put on him that Dariusz can apply on a fighter. But, look, that fight has to happen for either of them to reign as best light heavyweight ever; they have to fight each other. I mean, it's just no other way..." { + } Virgil Hill in an exclusive interview...

BIOGRAPHY

Dariusz was born in Poland and now resides in Hamburg, Germany. He is married to Dorota and has two sons Michael and Nicholas. His hobbies are his family, drawing and soccer. He is a carpenter and upholsterer by trade and Muhammad Ali is his boxing idol.

He started boxing at the age of twelve, amassing an impressive amateur record of 150 fights, with 139 wins and 89 KOs. Made his pro debut August 14, 1991, becoming the WBO light heavyweight champion in September 10, 1994 with a win over Leonzer Barber in Hamburg, Germany. He added the WBA and the IBF titles via a unanimous decision win over Virgil "Quick Silver" Hill June 13, 1997. "The Tiger" is the first light heavyweight in history to unify three world titles. He regards his victory over Virgil Hill as the best fight of his career to date. He has defended the WBO title a total of twenty times.

DOWN THE ROAD
Will he and Roy Jones Jr. ever fulfill their pugilistic destiny by getting it on with each other for all the hardware? That's the fight boxing fans really want to see!

JONES AND MICHALCZEWSKI MIGHT HAPPEN AFTER ALL

After several years of equivocation light heavyweight champion Roy Jones jr. apparently decided to do the right thing. The world champion of WBC, WBA and IBF finally displayed serious willingness to fight against undefeated WBO king Dariusz Michalczewski, 44-0 (37 KOs).

“I'm going to go to HBO Monday and say HBO give me some money and let me go ahead to Germany and make this thing happen with Dariusz Michalczewski, if he wants some”, Jones said after he defended his titles in Miami against Australian Glen Kelly by way of 7th round knockout.

Three days prior to the fight Jones pointed out that a duel against Michalczewski would be more likely than against any other world class boxer. In a slightly trite statement Jones asked Michalczewski to come to the US to fight him. “You tell the guy from Germany to bring his butt on over here”, Jones said. “And you tell him I said that.”

So far a Michalczewski-Jones showdown was prevented by the unrealistic high purse demands of Roy Jones. In an interview displayed by German Pay-TV channel Premiere last Saturday Jones said he would demand $10 million for a fight against the undefeated WBO champion.

Nevertheless Dariusz Michalczewski who was watching Jones’ fight on TV enjoyed the recent promising statements of his American rival. “I was always sure that the big fight between Jones and me will take place”, Michalczewski stated Sunday morning on Premiere World. “I always wanted it and my promoter Universum wants the fight as well. And we just have no choice. The public is demanding this fight. I’m confident that before the end of the year Jones and me will meet inside the ring.”

Michalczewski expressed respect for the skills Jones displayed Saturday night when he scored several knockdowns against Glen Kelly before knocking him out in round 6 with a highly unorthodox trick punch. “Jones was very variable. He fought excellent and displayed his speed”, the 33-year-old said. “However, Kelly lost his confidence very early. From that point on Jones was able to do what ever he wanted.”

“If Jones likes to pull faces and be a clown inside the ring that’s up to him”, Michalczewski commented about the provocative gestures and trick shots of the American. “That’s not my style, though. Jones never faced an opponent inside the ring who is putting real serious pressure on him from the first moment on. My best weapon is my jab. In the Kelly fight I realized once again that Jones is vulnerable to a good jab.”

“Jones’ clowning will backfire some day”, Universum chief coach Fritz Sdunek said, a man who among others trains both Klitschko brothers, Dariusz Michalczewski and undefeated lightweight king Artur Grigorian. “Naseem Hamed should be a warning to him. Everybody can be defeated. Roy Jones should think carefully about playing games with Dariusz inside the ring.”

“Dariusz just wouldn’t give Jones room for clowning. You can’t compare this to the Kelly fight. Kelly was tailor made for Jones. Roy Jones is quite aware of how dangerous a fight against Michalczewski would be for him. Dariusz would move well so Jones couldn’t pick his punches. And most definitely Michalczewski’s left hand would land.”

The next title defense of Dariusz Michalczewski is intended for April.

DARIUSZ READY FOR RJJ

With Dariusz Michalczewski defending his WBO light heavyweight world title against Jamaican Richard Hall on Saturday the final event of Universum Box-Promotion for the year 2001 is coming up.

It would be the 22nd successful world title fight for Michalczewski who also won the WBO crown at cruiserweight seven years ago. "Tiger" Michalczewski, 44-0 (37 KOs), defeated all his last ten challengers for the WBO 175 lb. title inside the distance.

New York based Hall was scheduled to fight against Michalczewski already in September. But the event had to be postponed when the champion suffered a torn muscle in his upper leg. It will be the second world title fight for Richard Hall, 25-2 (24 KOs), who lost to Roy Jones in May of 2000 by technical knockout in round 11.

Hall who at 6' 3" is two inches taller than Michalczewski didn't want to speak about his game plan. "It's top secret", said the 30-year-old southpaw.

"I'm confident next year the big fight between Roy Jones and me will finally happen", said the 33-year-old Michalczewski. "This fight will be as interesting as Lewis vs. Tyson."

"Beside the showdown against Jones a fight against middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins would be very interesting as well. But the number one fight for the fans would be Michalczewski- Jones."