Sam Soliman
Australian boxer
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Biography
Sam Soliman (born 13 November 1973) is an Australian professional boxer, and a former kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He held the IBF middleweight title in 2014, as well as the Australian cruiserweight title in 1997; the Australian middleweight and super-middleweight titles in 1999; and the Commonwealth middleweight title in 2000.
Kickboxing career
Soliman is a former world champion in kickboxing, and also competed in Muay Thai.
Professional boxing career
On 20 April 1997, Soliman made his professional boxing debut, defeating Heath Stenton by four-round unanimous decision (UD). In the first half of his career he would fight for and win a multitude of regional titles, from light-middleweight all the way to cruiserweight. Most notably he won the vacant Commonwealth middleweight title on 19 June 2000, scoring a ninth-round stoppage over Neville Brown. This reign was short-lived, as Soliman would lose a points decision to Howard Eastman a few months later on 16 September. His first world championship opportunity came on 7 March 2007, against Anthony Mundine for the vacant WBA super-middleweight title in an all-Australian showdown. After four knockdowns, Soliman lost by knockout in round nine. In a rematch on 28 May 2008, this time with Mundine as defending champion, Soliman lost by UD.
The pinnacle of Soliman's career was reached on 31 May 2014, when he defeated multiple-time world champion Felix Sturm by UD to win the IBF middleweight title. They had previously fought on 1 February 2013, which was a fight marred afterwards by a drawn-out legal battle which took more than three years to resolve. Soliman was first announced to have failed a drug test in April 2013, which resulted in the German Boxing Federation ruling the fight a no contest and handing him a nine-month suspension in Germany. In October 2016, Soliman was exonerated by a German court which judged the Federation to have acted unlawfully, thus overturning the no contest result. However, in yet another short-lived championship reign, Soliman lost by UD to former undisputed middleweight champion Jermain Taylor on 8 October 2014, enduring four knockdowns due to a debilitating knee injury.
Professional boxing record
| Professional record summary | ||
| 58 fights | 44 wins | 14 losses |
| By knockout | 18 | 2 |
| By decision | 26 | 12 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59 | Loss | 45–14 | Serhiy Derevianchenko | TKO | 2 (12), 2:41 | 21 Jul 2016 | Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, US | |
| 58 | Loss | 45–13 | Dominic Wade | SD | 12 | 26 Jun 2015 | Little Creek Casino Resort, Shelton, Washington, US | |
| 57 | Loss | 45–12 | Jermain Taylor | UD | 12 | 8 Oct 2014 | Beau Rivage, Biloxi, Mississippi, US | Lost IBF middleweight title |
| 56 | Win | 45–11 | Felix Sturm | UD | 12 | 31 May 2014 | König Palast, Krefeld, Germany | Won IBF middleweight title |
| 55 | Win | 44–11 | Les Sherrington | TKO | 9 (12), 2:12 | 11 Dec 2013 | Pavilion, Melbourne, Australia | Won vacant PABA interim middleweight title |
| 54 | Win | 43–11 | Felix Sturm | UD | 12 | 1 Feb 2013 | ISS Dome, Düsseldorf, Germany | |
| 53 | Win | 42–11 | Giovanni Lorenzo | UD | 12 | 24 Aug 2012 | Geelong Arena, Geelong, Australia | |
| 52 | Win | 41–11 | Garth Wood | UD | 12 | 19 Feb 2012 | State Sports Centre, Sydney, Australia | Won vacant IBF Pan Pacific interim middleweight title |
| 51 | Win | 40–11 | Eromosele Albert | UD | 12 | 18 Nov 2011 | Pavilion, Melbourne, Australia | |
| 50 | Win | 39–11 | Pradeep Singh | KO | 10 (12), 1:27 | 23 Sep 2010 | Flemington Racecourse Atrium Room, Melbourne, Australia | Won vacant IBF Pan Pacific middleweight title |
| 49 | Win | 38–11 | Shannon McMahon | TKO | 11 (12), 2:20 | 13 Mar 2010 | Moonee Valley Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia | Won vacant WBF middleweight title |
| 48 | Win | 37–11 | Les Piper | TKO | 7 (12), 1:43 | 4 Oct 2008 | Peninsula/Shed 14 at Docklands Central Pier, Melbourne, Australia | Won vacant IBF Australasian and WBF interim middleweight titles |
| 47 | Win | 36–11 | Sintung Kietbusaba | TKO | 7 (12), 1:40 | 16 Aug 2008 | Peninsula/Shed 14 at Docklands Central Pier, Melbourne, Australia | Won vacant IBO Asia Pacific middleweight title |
| 46 | Loss | 35–11 | Anthony Mundine | UD | 12 | 28 May 2008 | Vodafone Arena, Melbourne, Australia | For WBA super middleweight title |
| 45 | Win | 35–10 | Wayne Johnsen | UD | 6 | 6 Nov 2007 | TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, US | The Contender: season finale |
| 44 | Loss | 34–10 | Sakio Bika | UD | 8 | 30 Oct 2007 | Contender Arena, Los Angeles, California, US | The Contender: semi-final |
| 43 | Win | 34–9 | Max Alexander | UD | 5 | 18 Sep 2007 | Contender Arena, Los Angeles, California, US | The Contender: first round |
| 42 | Loss | 33–9 | Anthony Mundine | KO | 9 (12), 2:26 | 7 Mar 2007 | Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia | For vacant WBA super middleweight title |
| 41 | Win | 33–8 | Enrique Ornelas | MD | 10 | 17 Nov 2006 | Soboba Casino, San Jacinto, California, US | |
| 40 | Win | 32–8 | Raúl Jorge Muñoz | TKO | 6 (10), 1:49 | 3 Mar 2006 | Pechanga Resort and Casino, Temecula, California, US | |
| 39 | Loss | 31–8 | Winky Wright | UD | 12 | 10 Dec 2005 | Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, US | |
| 38 | Win | 31–7 | Fernando Zuniga | UD | 10 | 21 Jul 2005 | Tachi Palace, Lemoore, California, US | |
| 37 | Win | 30–7 | Miguel Julio | TKO | 4 (10), 2:20 | 23 Feb 2005 | Vodafone Arena, Melbourne, Australia | |
| 36 | Win | 29–7 | Jose Alberto Clavero | KO | 7 (10), 1:13 | 12 Dec 2004 | Panthers World of Entertainment, Sydney, Australia | |
| 35 | Win | 28–7 | Diego Castillo | TKO | 4 (10), 2:35 | 6 Nov 2004 | University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia | |
| 34 | Win | 27–7 | Raymond Joval | UD | 12 | 18 Jul 2004 | Pechanga Resort and Casino, Temecula, California, US | |
| 33 | Win | 26–7 | Plaisakda Boonmalert | TKO | 3 (10), 1:25 | 28 May 2004 | Panthers World of Entertainment, Sydney, Australia | |
| 32 | Win | 25–7 | Moechrody | TKO | 3 (12) | 16 Apr 2004 | Dandenong Stadium, Melbourne, Australia | Retained IBF Pan Pacific middleweight title |
| 31 | Win | 24–7 | Jorge Andres Sclarandi | TKO | 8 (12), 0:01 | 7 Mar 2004 | Panthers World of Entertainment, Sydney, Australia | Retained IBF Pan Pacific middleweight title |
| 30 | Win | 23–7 | Juan Carlos Lettieri | KO | 1 (12), 1:29 | 23 Jan 2004 | Panthers World of Entertainment, Sydney, Australia | Retained IBF Pan Pacific middleweight title |
| 29 | Win | 22–7 | Silvio Walter Rojas | TKO | 4 (12) | 5 Dec 2003 | Panthers World of Entertainment, Sydney, Australia | Retained IBF Pan Pacific middleweight title |
| 28 | Win | 21–7 | Satoru Suzuki | UD | 12 | 1 Nov 2003 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Retained OPBF middleweight title |
| 27 | Win | 20–7 | Tokutaro Toyozumi | SD | 12 | 7 Sep 2003 | Masukicho Gym, Kumamoto, Japan | Won OPBF middleweight title |
| 26 | Win | 19–7 | Ramon Arturo Britez | UD | 12 | 12 Aug 2003 | Albert Park Powerhouse, Melbourne, Australia | Retained IBF Pan Pacific middleweight title |
| 25 | Win | 18–7 | Nader Hamdan | UD | 12 | 2 Jun 2003 | Panthers World of Entertainment, Sydney, Australia | Retained IBF Pan Pacific middleweight title |
| 24 | Win | 17–7 | Mike Cope | UD | 10 | 6 Dec 2002 | State Netball and Hockey Centre, Melbourne, Australia | |
| 23 | Win | 16–7 | Sakio Bika | MD | 12 | 15 Oct 2002 | Albert Park Powerhouse, Melbourne, Australia | Retained IBF Pan Pacific middleweight title |
| 22 | Win | 15–7 | Sean Sullivan | UD | 12 | 24 Jul 2002 | Albert Park Powerhouse, Melbourne, Australia | Won vacant IBF Pan Pacific middleweight title |
| 21 | Win | 14–7 | Ojay Abrahams | PTS | 4 | 15 Jun 2002 | Tottenham Green Leisure Centre, London, England | |
| 20 | Win | 13–7 | Eric Teymour | PTS | 8 | 26 Apr 2002 | Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland | |
| 19 | Loss | 12–7 | Anthony Mundine | SD | 12 | 3 Sep 2001 | Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, England | For vacant IBF Pan Pacific super-middleweight title |
| 18 | Win | 12–6 | Cornelius Carr | PTS | 6 | 28 Feb 2001 | Royal Garden Hotel, London, England | |
| 17 | Loss | 11–6 | Raymond Joval | MD | MD | 27 Jan 2001 | Jaap Edenhal, Amsterdam, Netherlands | For IBO middleweight title |
| 16 | Loss | 11–5 | Howard Eastman | PTS | 12 | 16 Sep 2000 | York Hall, London, England | Lost Commonwealth middleweight title |
| 15 | Win | 11–4 | Neville Brown | TKO | 9 (12) | 19 Jun 2000 | Meadowside Leisure Centre, Burton, England | Won vacant Commonwealth middleweight title |
| 14 | Loss | 10–4 | Jerry Elliott | UD | 8 | 6 May 2000 | Ballsporthalle, Frankfurt, Germany | |
| 13 | Win | 10–3 | Paul Wesley | UD | 6 | 13 Apr 2000 | New Connaught Rooms, London, England | |
| 12 | Win | 9–3 | Sakeasi Dakua | TKO | 4 (8) | 4 Dec 1999 | Prince Charles Park, Nadi, Fiji | |
| 11 | Loss | 8–3 | Glen Kelly | UD | 12 | 28 Sep 1999 | District Junior Rugby Football League, Sydney, Australia | For IBF Pan Pacific and Australian light-heavyweight titles |
| 10 | Win | 8–2 | Brad Mayo | UD | 12 | 9 Jul 1999 | Wollongong, Australia | Won vacant Australian middleweight title |
| 9 | Win | 7–2 | Mosese Sorovi | TKO | 11 (12) | 7 May 1999 | Empire Theatre, Toowoomba, Australia | Won vacant Australian super-middleweight title |
| 8 | Win | 6–2 | Dale Westerman | UD | 8 | 25 Oct 1998 | Glasshouse, Melbourne, Australia | |
| 7 | Win | 5–2 | Marty Fogas | UD | 8 | 24 May 1998 | Crown, Melbourne, Australia | |
| 6 | Win | 4–2 | Marc Bargero | UD | 8 | 17 Apr 1998 | Mount Pritchard Community Club, Sydney, Australia | |
| 5 | Win | 3–2 | Leon Rouse | UD | 4 | 20 Feb 1998 | The Roxy, Boston, Massachusetts, US | |
| 4 | Loss | 2–2 | Adrian Bellin | SD | 12 | 28 Nov 1997 | Corio Leisure Centre, Geelong, Australia | Lost Australian cruiserweight title |
| 3 | Loss | 2–1 | Kevin Kelly | UD | 12 | 15 Aug 1997 | Marrickville RSL Club, Sydney, Australia | For Australian and vacant Commonwealth light-middleweight titles |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Peter Kinsella | KO | 12 (12), 2:33 | 3 Jun 1997 | Southport RSL Club, Gold Coast, Australia | Won Australian cruiserweight title |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Heath Stenton | UD | 4 | 20 Apr 1997 | Billboard Niteclub, Melbourne, Australia | Professional debut |