Avetik Abrahamyan, best known as Arthur Abraham, is an Armenian-German former professional boxer who competed from 2003 to 2018.
84 Facts About Arthur Abraham
2.
Arthur Abraham held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the IBF middleweight title from 2005 to 2009, and the WBO super-middleweight title twice between 2012 and 2016.
3.
Arthur Abraham moved to Germany with his parents and brothers in 1995 at the age of 15.
4.
However, after watching an exciting Mike Tyson fight, Arthur Abraham was inspired to become a boxing star too.
5.
Arthur Abraham boxed as an amateur in Bamberg and later in Nuremberg.
6.
Arthur Abraham was an International junior welterweight German champion in 1997 and a three time Senior light middleweight Armenian champion in 2000,2001 and 2002.
7.
Arthur Abraham attempted to compete for Armenia at the 2000 Summer Olympics, but was unable due to his two years of military service.
8.
Arthur Abraham was a sparring partner for IBF and WBA super middleweight champion Sven Ottke, whom was in the preparations of a title defense.
9.
Arthur Abraham defeated Canadian southpaw Ian Gardner for the vacant WBA Inter-Continental middleweight title, Hector Velazco and contender Nader Hamdan.
10.
In July 2005, Arthur Abraham defended his WBA Inter-Continental title against the highly regarded Briton Howard Eastman.
11.
On 10 December 2005, in Leipzig, Germany, Arthur Abraham won the vacant IBF middleweight title against Kingsley Ikeke by a 5th round knock-out.
12.
Ikeke began to tumble toward the canvas and Arthur Abraham landed some final rights to seal the victory.
13.
Arthur Abraham defended his title on 5 March 2006 with a unanimous decision against Australian Shannan Taylor.
14.
Two months later, Arthur Abraham won a second title defense against Kofi Jantuah, on points.
15.
On 23 September 2006, Arthur Abraham won a decision against undefeated contender Edison Miranda despite having his jaw broken in two places in round four.
16.
However, even without the five points deducted, Arthur Abraham would have still won the fight.
17.
Arthur Abraham's jaw was operated on the night after the fight.
18.
Arthur Abraham had 22 screws inserted into two titanium plates.
19.
Arthur Abraham defeated Canadian Sebastien Demers by KO in the third round after two minutes and fifty-seven seconds.
20.
Arthur Abraham won his fifth title defense by defeating fellow Armenian Khoren Gevor by 11th-round knockout from a powerful left hook.
21.
On 8 December 2007, Arthur Abraham defeated Wayne Elcock to make his sixth title defense by technical knockout in the 5th round.
22.
On 29 March 2008, Arthur Abraham defeated American Elvin Ayala via 12th-round KO after connecting with a devastating left hook that sent his opponent crashing to the canvas face first.
23.
Arthur Abraham landed a final striking right hand for the round's third knockdown as the referee leapt in to halt the action before Miranda could attempt to rise again.
24.
On 8 November 2008, Arthur Abraham defeated Raul Marquez, 37, by a 6th round technical knockout, at the Bamberg's Jako Arena, the 8th defense of his IBF middleweight boxing title.
25.
Arthur Abraham retained his IBF title on 14 March 2009 against Lajuan Simon, his first fight over 12 rounds since his legendary battle against Edison Miranda.
26.
Arthur Abraham participated in the Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament for the WBA and WBC super middleweight titles.
27.
Arthur Abraham was previously supposed to fight Taylor for the undisputed middleweight title, but the fight fell through.
28.
Arthur Abraham defeated Taylor via a devastating knockout in the 12th round.
29.
On 27 March 2010, Arthur Abraham fought American boxer Andre Dirrell in the second stage of the Super Six World Boxing Classic at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
30.
In round 10, Arthur Abraham knocked Dirrell down following a straight right, but the referee ruled it a slip.
31.
Arthur Abraham lost via disqualification due to hitting Dirrell after he slipped in the 11th round.
32.
Arthur Abraham suffered his first defeat professionally due to the disqualification.
33.
Arthur Abraham was next scheduled to fight British boxer Carl Froch, for the vacant WBC super middleweight title on 27 November 2010.
34.
Arthur Abraham failed to become a two-weight world champion, losing to Froch in his third fight of the tournament.
35.
Arthur Abraham was dominated from start to finish, losing by a unanimous decision.
36.
Arthur Abraham won by technical knockout in the second round due to an injury in Bozic's hand.
37.
On 14 May 2011, Arthur Abraham fought undefeated American Andre Ward in the Super Six semi finals for the WBA super middleweight title.
38.
Arthur Abraham entered having lost two of his previous three bouts.
39.
Ward started out slow with Arthur Abraham, trying to find a way to penetrate his tight defense.
40.
Arthur Abraham hurt Ward a couple of times in the final round, but it wasn't enough to finish Ward, who had dominated the fight and won a lopsided unanimous decision.
41.
Arthur Abraham didn't believe he had lost the fight with such wide scores.
42.
On 30 October 2011, Arthur Abraham originally announced that he intended to return to the middleweight division in 2012 but later decided to remain at super middleweight.
43.
On 31 March 2012, Arthur Abraham defeated former EBU super middleweight champion Piotr Wilczewski by a lopsided unanimous decision to retain his WBO European title.
44.
Arthur Abraham won a twelve-round unanimous decision over Stieglitz to capture the WBO championship in a spectacular battle which made Arthur Abraham a two-division champion.
45.
Arthur Abraham became the second Armenian and the first German to win championships in two different divisions.
46.
Arthur Abraham was named best boxer of Germany in 2012 by BoxSport magazine.
47.
Arthur Abraham retained his title against Bouadla on 15 December 2012.
48.
Arthur Abraham won via technical knockout in the eighth round.
49.
CompuBox stats showed that Stieglitz was in full control of the rematch, landing 70 of 203 punches thrown, with Arthur Abraham landed 27 of his 107 thrown.
50.
Two months later, Arthur Abraham successfully defended the title against Giovanni De Carolis by unanimous decision.
51.
Stieglitz, being the champion was entitled to $2,351,250, while Arthur Abraham would receive the remaining $783,750.
52.
CompuBox stats showed that Arthur Abraham landed 140 of 451 punches thrown, Stieglitz landed 106 of his 489.
53.
Arthur Abraham was much more active in the final 5 rounds and worked his jab, which was the key to winning the fight.
54.
Arthur Abraham believed he had broken his had in round 7 and boxed sensibly for the remainder of the fight.
55.
Promoter Kalle Sauerland announced on 21 July 2014, that Arthur Abraham would defend his WBO title against English boxer Paul Smith at Sparkassen-Arena in Germany on 27 September.
56.
Arthur Abraham defeated Smith to retain his title in a controversial decision.
57.
Arthur Abraham was mostly dominant during the fight when he unloaded a barrage of power punches, and spent some time against the ropes, covering up, to keep himself becoming fatigued.
58.
Arthur Abraham shook me once or twice, he was better tonight.
59.
Arthur Abraham fought Robert Stieglitz for the fourth and final time on 18 July 2015 at the Gerry Weber Stadium, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.
60.
Arthur Abraham was ahead on three judges scorecards at the time on stoppage.
61.
On 7 October 2015, Matchroom Sport announced that negotiations were done for Arthur Abraham to defend his WBO world title on 21 November against 33 year old British boxer Martin Murray at the TUI Arena in Hanover.
62.
Arthur Abraham is a world-class fighter, who put in a good fight and you have to acknowledge that.
63.
Arthur Abraham slipped to a record in the United States following the defeat.
64.
Arthur Abraham was a very, very strong puncher, but he couldn't take any movement.
65.
Team Sauerland announced that Arthur Abraham would fight on 16 July 2016 in his first bout since losing his 168-pound world title on 9 April.
66.
Arthur Abraham suffered an elbow injury in training which pulled him off the card.
67.
The World Boxing Organization ordered a purse bid to take place on 4 January 2017 in Hungary for an eliminator between Arthur Abraham, ranked number two and number three ranked two time light heavyweight challenger Robin Krasniqi with $300,000 being the minimum bid.
68.
Arthur Abraham constantly hurt Krasniqi in the second half of the fight on his way to winning a 12-round unanimous decision and earned a world title match.
69.
Arthur Abraham spent most of the later rounds cutting off the ring.
70.
At the weigh in, Arthur Abraham weighed 12st 1lb 5oz, which was 1lb 13oz over the limit.
71.
Arthur Abraham was given two hours to lose the extra weight.
72.
Arthur Abraham had little to offer, mostly in defence mode as Eubank Jr.
73.
Arthur Abraham suffered his second defeat in his last four fights.
74.
On fight night, Arthur Abraham dropped Nielsen on his way to edge out a win via split decision after 12 rounds to win the vacant WBO International title.
75.
Arthur Abraham appeared in Cologne, Germany for an exhibition match against entertainer Oliver Pocher on 24 October 2009 in a bouncy, castle-like "ring" and fought with huge, air-cushion-like boxing gloves.
76.
On 9 April 2010, Arthur Abraham took to the dance show Let's Dance on RTL with partner Nina Uszkureit, but left after the first episode of the show in order to concentrate fully on his boxing career.
77.
German actor and producer Til Schweiger invited Arthur Abraham to act in his film Crime Scene.
78.
Arthur Abraham played a pimp that is a leader of a gang that controls the shadow business in the film.
79.
Arthur Abraham was among the panel of judges for the "Miss Germany" beauty pageant in 2012 and 2013.
80.
Arthur Abraham sent a letter of condolence on the death of Vladimir Yengibaryan to his family.
81.
Arthur Abraham married his wife Mary, then a Yerevan State University student, in 2015.
82.
Arthur Abraham's younger brother Alexander is a professional boxer, and his older brother Christian owns a furniture shop.
83.
Arthur Abraham will have foreign-language classes for students at the boxing school, such as English and German, to help have success internationally.
84.
Arthur Abraham received German citizenship in August 2006, while retaining his Armenian citizenship.