The Epic Story of Arthur Abraham

[Kaaspeer]

THE EARLY YEARS, 2003-2006
Abraham had his debut fight on 16-08-2003 in the middleweight division (160 lb). From then until 13-05-2006, he compiled an undefeated record of 21 wins, 17 by knockout.

THE FIRST CHALLENGE, 2006
On 23-09-2006, Abraham met his first dangerous opponent in Wetzlar, Hessen, Germany. A prime Edison Miranda, undefeated in 26 fights, 23 won by knockout (16 of them in the 1st round!). This was a battle between two young and undefeated knockout fighters, both about to face their first real challenge. Miranda broke Abraham's jaw in the fourth round and fought a dirty fight, but Abraham lasted all 12 rounds and won by decision. This fight is a memorable testimony to Abraham's heart of a warrior.

THE LAST YEARS AT MIDDLEWEIGHT, 2006-2009
After the victory against Miranda, Abraham would go on to win 4 knockout victories, improving his undefeated record to 26 wins, 21 by knockout. Miranda had since then moved up to super middleweight and compiled a record of 30 wins, 26 by knockout, with 2 losses (the most recent loss came at middleweight against Kelly Pavlik by TKO7).
On 24-06-18, Miranda got a rematch against Abraham in Hollywood, Florida, USA. Since Abraham was still a middleweight boxer while Miranda had moved up to super middleweight, the fight took place at a catchweight of 166 lb. Abraham knocked Miranda down three times in the fourth round, winning by TKO. Abraham would then win 3 more fights, finishing his career at middleweight on 27-06-2009 with an undefeated record of 30 wins, 24 by knockout.

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT AND THE SUPER SIX TOURNAMENT, 2009-2012
Abraham moved up to the super middleweight division (168 lb) in order to participate in the Super Six tournament. He had a good start, knocking out Jermain Taylor in the 12th round on 17/10/2009 in Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany. Taylor was a good boxer with a record of 28 wins, 17 by knockout, with 3 losses (two against Kelly Pavlik, one against Carl Froch). Taylor had previously defeated Bernard Hopkins and Jeff Lacy and dominated Carl Froch on points until getting stopped in the 12th round (Taylor gave Froch the first knockdown of his career in the 3rd round). Abraham was the favourite among boxing fans to win the Super Six tournament after beating Taylor, but things turned out differently.
Abraham was behind on points when he was disqualified in the 11th round against the undefeated and talented Andre Dirrell on 27-03-2010 in Detroit, Michigan, USA and Dirrell knocked him down for the first time in his career in the 4th round. Abraham would then go on to lose on points against Carl Froch on 27/11/2010 in Helsinski, Finland. He then had a meaningless TKO2 victory against little-known Stjepan Božić outside of the tournament (Božić's hand was injured in the 2nd round) and he then went on to lose on points against Andre Ward in the semifinals on 14-05-2011 in Carson, California, USA.
When the Super Six tournament ended, Abraham had a record of 32 wins, 26 by knockout, 3 losses. He then won 2 more fights, improving his record to 34 wins, 27 by knockout, 3 losses, but he was clearly not a dominant force in the super middleweight division like he was in the middleweight division.

THE STIEGLITZ TRILOGY, 2012-2014
on 25-08-2012, Arthur Abraham faced Robert Stieglitz in Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany. It was a competive fight, but Abraham won by landing the harder and cleaner shots, catching most of Stieglitz's punches in his blockades. Stieglitz was a good boxer who had a record of 42 wins, 23 by knockout , 2 losses (he was 1-1 against hardhitting Alejandro Berrio and had a loss against the underrated tank Librado Andrade who almost defeated Lucian Bute).
Abraham would then beat Mehdi Bouadla by TKO8, improving his record to 36 wins, 28 by knockout, 3 losses, while Stieglitz would go on to win one more fight by KO3 and improve his record to 43 wins, 27 by knockout, 3 losses. A rematch was set up between them. The first time they fought, they did so in Abraham's home town, but this time they would fight in Stieglitz's home town, Magdeburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany, on 23-03-2013. Stieglitz shocked the boxing world, stopping Abraham for the first time ever in the 4th round, as a result of Abraham's left eye being injured.
This marked a dark point in Abraham's career. Many people lost faith in him after this loss and it only got worse when he went on to win a gift decision against the relatively unknown and fairly average Willbeforce Shihepo. He would then win one more fight before he, on 01-03-2014, would have a third fight against Stieglitz, once again in Stieglitz's home town. Most people doubted that Abraham would be able to pull it off, as he had looked rather shot lately, but it was as if he went back in time that night, beating Stieglitz by a hard and close decision victory, sealing it with a knockdown in the 12th round, with Stieglitz barely able to stay on his legs. Abraham had once again impressed the boxing world and proved that he belonged among the top 5 super middleweight boxers in the world at the time. At this point, his record was 39 wins, 28 by knockout, 3 losses (one of his wins, Shihepo, should be a loss).

CURRENTLY, 2014-FUTURE
Arthur Abraham would go on to beat Nikola Sjekloca, who had previously only been defeated by Sakio Bika. He now got a fight against Paul Smith coming up, a fight which I expect him to win by stoppage. I hope that we will still get to see some more great victories for this brave Armenian warrior.

[ikorolev]

While in MW, why didn't he fight Pavlik, Williams or Martinez ?

Stieglitz is an average fighter. Recently, he couldn't beat a 40-year old journeyman, Khomitsky, without help from the judges.

[Kaaspeer]

While in MW, why didn't he fight Pavlik, Williams or Martinez ?

Stieglitz is an average fighter. Recently, he couldn't beat a 40-year old journeyman, Khomitsky, without help from the judges.

He would beat Williams, I'm 50-50 on Pavlik, Martinez would beat him.

[ikorolev]

While in MW, why didn't he fight Pavlik, Williams or Martinez ?

Stieglitz is an average fighter. Recently, he couldn't beat a 40-year old journeyman, Khomitsky, without help from the judges.

He would beat Williams, I'm 50-50 on Pavlik, Martinez would beat him.

You may be right. The question is why he chose to not fight other top middleweights ?

[Kaaspeer]

While in MW, why didn't he fight Pavlik, Williams or Martinez ?

Stieglitz is an average fighter. Recently, he couldn't beat a 40-year old journeyman, Khomitsky, without help from the judges.

He would beat Williams, I'm 50-50 on Pavlik, Martinez would beat him.

You may be right. The question is why he chose to not fight other top middleweights ?

He was busy moving up in weight and fighting even more powerful opponents, appreciate that he took higher risks.

[polecateddy]

Here was a fighter who improved rapidly and was always ambitious to try and reach a higher level. I wonder how many banned substances he took along the way to help him out?

[giacomino]

While in MW, why didn't he fight Pavlik, Williams or Martinez ?

Stieglitz is an average fighter. Recently, he couldn't beat a 40-year old journeyman, Khomitsky, without help from the judges.

He would beat Williams, I'm 50-50 on Pavlik, Martinez would beat him.

Was a big Abraham fan at middleweight, but he wouldn't have beaten any of the three IMO. Now he is just taking advantage of the fact that he can earn a good living being the third or fourth best super middleweight beating B- or C level opposition at home in Germany while claiming he is a "champion" despite having lost one-sided decisions to Ward and Froch. Good for him

[Kaaspeer]

Stieglitz came to Abraham's hometurf in the first fight and Abraham, despite winning, showed the heart of a champion in travelling to Stieglitz's hometurf in the rematch, I don't think Ward got the balls to fight Froch in Nottingham, where the referee won't favor him all the time.

[uptconnect]

Arthur Abraham is the most underrated fighter of all time!!

;;-)

[polecateddy]

He's a solid champion past his best. He did plateau ability wise below the top line, and probably the Miranda fight flattered him as that guy flattered to deceive a little.

[punchoutsb]

Always been one of my favorites. Not to underrate him, but I always thought he overachieved. He's past his best now, but can still put on some good fights. He's got good power and a solid chin.

[hoagylt]

I do not know how AA is a champ,he is awful.There is no way he would beat anyone near the top of the division.

[Kaaspeer]

I do not know how AA is a champ,he is awful.There is no way he would beat anyone near the top of the division.

There's a good chance that he would beat Groves, DeGale, Bika. He won't beat Froch, Kessler, Dirrell or Ward, though.

[Baby Face Finster]

Abraham, much like Samson with his hair, lost the majority of his power once his Smurf hat was taken from him. Still epically strong but oh what could have been had that power channeling blue hat been allowed to stay on his head.

[zorndeslammes]

While in MW, why didn't he fight Pavlik, Williams or Martinez ?

When both he and Pavlik were at 160, Pavlik was *highly* dismissive of fighting Abraham over completely ridiculous stuff that made no sense aside from "he's ducking Abraham." Of course, he was dismissive of fighting anyone and that combined/caused by his drinking problem caused a career freefall where thy never fought.

Paul Williams? Sergio Martinez? Abraham entered the Super Six in early 2009 at 168. Martinez was a interim titlist who had done nothing aside from beat Alex Bunema then. Paul Williams was just prepping to start campaigning at middleweight by fighting Winky Wright. Had Abraham fought him it might not have been heavily criticized, but it wouldn't have meant much more to people at the time than fighting Edison Miranda, Raul Marquez, or Kingsley Ikeke had.

I can't take any argument seriously that suggests Abraham ducked anyone. Abraham came to America to fight and establish a name here even before the Super 6. He faced Andre Dirrell in what was essentially Dirrell's hometown. He faced Carl Froch. He faced Andre Ward in Oakland. He took fights that would be considered significantly more difficult than fights against Paul Williams or Sergio Martinez. Yeah, he didn't win all of them, but that happens when you fight monsters consistently.

Stieglitz is an average fighter. Recently, he couldn't beat a 40-year old journeyman, Khomitsky, without help from the judges.

You mean the ref. And Stieglitz has been in a ton of wars. His tank is probably empty.

[manwhobets]

I think Paul Smith would win Arthur

[GilFilmore]

I still would love to see Abraham fight Mikel Kessler