Mehrdud Takaloo

Name: Takaloo
Alias: The Margate Rock
Birth Name: Mehrdud Takalobighashi
Hometown: Margate, Kent, United Kingdom
Birthplace: Tehran, Iran
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 175cm
Reach: 183cm
Pro Boxer: Record

Mehrdud Takalobigashi, more commonly known as Mehrdud Takaloo or Takaloo, is an Iranian born British based boxer.

Birth and early life

Takaloo was born September 23, 1975 in Tehran, Iran. His family later fled the country in the late 1970's after the overthrow of the Shah. His family arrived in the south of England and he is now based in Margate, Kent.

Professional career

Takaloo boxed from an early age and won a number of amateur titles. In 1997, he became a professional boxer but initially had little success, losing two of his first seven bouts.

At this time he changed trainers and joined Jim McDonnell's gym in London.

Takaloo is a showboat type of boxer who had good head and body movement but usually ends up looking bruised, battered but unbowed. His gutsy style has made him a popular fighter in England. A one time world title contender and current WBU welterweight champion, Takaloo had problems obtaining a passport to fight outside of the UK but is now a British citizen. As an amateur, he fought 72 times, winning 60 bouts, before turning professional in 1997.

He won the fringe WBU light-middleweight world championship belt in 2001 by beating the then undefeated Anthony Farnell in Manchester. Following that, Takaloo secured a shot with WBO champion Daniel Santos at Cardiff Castle, Cardiff when he fought for the WBO and WBU light middleweight title. Takaloo lost this fight on points over twelve rounds.

Takaloo then moved down a weight to welterweight following defeats to Eugenio Monteiro and a chilling knockout loss to unpredictable puncher Wayne Alexander. This move down in weight seemed to have been a success as he won the vacant title against Turgay Uzun in February 2006 at the ExCeL Arena in London's Docklands and subsequently retained the title against the tough Irish fighter Eamonn Magee on a points verdict.

This success was shortlived and Takaloo's career could now be over having lost the WBU welterweight championship to former British Champion Michael Jenning's by a unanimous points decision on 7 April 2007 and a further TKO loss to Anthony Small on 12 January 2008.