Denis Shafikov

Denis Shafikov Денис Шафиков
Shafikov in 2011
Statistics
Real name	Denis Fuatovich Shafikov
Nickname(s)	Genghis Khan
Rated at	Lightweight Light-welterweight
Height	1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Reach	174 cm (69 in)
Nationality	Russian
Born	3 June 1985 Miass, Chelyabinsk, Soviet Union (now Russia)
Stance	Southpaw
Boxing record
Total fights	41
Wins	38
Wins by KO	20
Losses	2
Draws	1

Denis Fuatovich Shafikov (Russian: Денис Фуатович Шафиков; born 3 June 1985) is a Russian professional boxer.^[1] He held the European super-lightweight title from 2011 to 2013, and has challenged twice for the IBF lightweight title, in 2014 and 2015. As of July 2016, Shafikov is ranked the world's seventh best lightweight by BoxRec, and eighth by The Ring magazine.^[2]

Early life and amateur career

According to Shafikov, he 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.^[3]

Professional career

Shafikov made his professional debut on 30 November 2003, winning a four-round unanimous decision over Pavel Lyakhov, who also debuted.^[1] For the next eleven years, Shafikov would remain undefeated while fighting mainly in Finland, having moved there in 2007.^[3] 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.^[4] 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.^[5] The second was a rematch with Zamora on 31 May, which Shafikov won via unanimous decision.^[6]

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.^[7] The following year, on 18 December, Shafikov received another opportunity to fight for the now-vacant IBF lightweight title, this time against Rances Barthelemy, but lost again via unanimous decision.^[8] Shafikov returned on 2 July 2016 in emphatic style, beating down and stopping undefeated lightweight prospect Jamel Herring in the tenth and final round.^[9]

Professional boxing record

Professional record summary
41 fights	38 wins	2 losses
By knockout	17	0
By decision	20	2
By disqualification	1	0
Draws	1

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
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	Palms Casino Resort, 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 sustained a cut from an 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	Professional debut

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, with Shafikov saying that he wants to "conquer the world as Genghis Khan did." His favourite boxers include Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao.^[3]

References

1. Professional boxing record for Denis Shafikov from BoxRec. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
2. "Lightweight Ratings". The Ring. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
3. Wainwright, Anson (2012). "Denis Shafikov: "I want to conquer the world as Djingis Khan did."". Max Boxing. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
4. Persson, Per Ake (23 September 2011). "Denis Shafikov Stops Giuseppe Lauri, Wins EBU Belt". BoxingScene. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
5. Smallwood, Jimmy (25 February 2012). "Lee McAllister loses European title fight against Denis Shafikov". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
6. "Shafikov wins rematch over Zamora". fightnews.com. 31 May 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
7. Donovan, Jake (22 February 2014) "Zou Shiming Wins By TKO, Vazquez Decisions Shafikov". BoxingScene. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
8. Campbell, Brian (19 December 2015). "Rances Barthelemy beats Denis Shafikov via unanimous decision". ESPN. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
9. Collins, Nigel (3 July 2016). "Denis Shafikov defeats previously unbeaten Jamel Herring by TKO". ESPN. Retrieved 15 July 2016.

External links

• Denis Shafikov at Top Rank (archived)