Haithem Laamouz Explained

Haithem Laamouz
Nickname:The Flash
Weight:Super featherweight
Lightweight
Light welterweight
Nationality:Maltese
Birth Date:1989 11, df=y
Birth Place:Sliema, Malta
Style:Orthodox
Boxrec:708605
Total:18
Wins:17
Losses:1
Ko:7

Haithem Laamouz (born 4 November 1989) is a Maltese professional boxer. He has held the European Union super featherweight title since December 2020, and previously the OPBF junior welterweight title in 2017. As an amateur, he represented his country in the lightweight event at the 2009 World Championships.

Amateur career

Born and raised on the island of Malta, he began boxing at the age of 15.[1] He also initially trained in mixed martial arts.[2] He began training with former Commonwealth champion Scott Dixon in 2008.[3] He represented his country at the 2009 World Championships in the lightweight event,[4] where he lost his first match against 2016 Olympian Hu Qianxun. His first achievement was a gold medal in an England vs. Malta Club Tournament.[5]

In 2010, he reached the quarter-finals of the Mohamed IV Tournament in Morocco, as well as the finals of the Haringey Box Cup in England.[5] In 2012 he reached the finals of the Belfast Box Tournament in Belfast, where he lost to Seán McComb.[6] He was also London Champion and a quarter-finalist in the England National Youth Championships. In 2013 and 2014 he won several tournaments in Sweden.[3] [7] [8] He also defeated future Commonwealth featherweight champion Reece Bellotti in the finals of the 2014 Haringey Box Cup for his second consecutive title at the tournament.[9]

He had dreams of qualifying for the Olympics but had no support from the Maltese federation.[2] His amateur record was 52–10.[1]

Professional career

Laamouz moved to Batemans Bay, Australia to pursue his professional career.[5] [10] He made his pro debut on 27 March 2015, defeating former Irish amateur champion Gearoid Clancy by split decision (SD) in Sydney.[1] He returned home for his second fight, stopping Russian veteran Ravil Mukhamadiyarov by in the fifth round of their bout at the Monte Kristo Estates in Malta.[1] After winning his first five fights, he faced Will Sands at Sydney Olympic Park for the vacant New South Wales State light welterweight title. He knocked the Australian out in the seventh round to win his first belt.[2] He defeated Fijian rival Sebastian Singh by unanimous decision to claim the WBA Asia light welterweight title in Sydney on 2 July 2016.[11] On 26 March 2017 he won the vacant OPBF light welterweight title with a ten-round unanimous decision victory over Roy Tua Manihuruk.[12]

He then moved down to lightweight, and challenged Joebert Delos Reyes for the vacant Australian title in July.[13] He stopped Delos Reyes with a powerful left hook in the second round to add national champion to his résumé.[14] After winning two non-title bouts, he lost the national title to Victorian state champion Gaige Ireland on St Patrick's Day in Sydney.[15] Twelve months later Laamouz faced Italian two-time Olympian Vittorio Parrinello for the vacant WBC Mediterranean super featherweight title in Paola, Malta, beating him by unanimous decision to claim the belt and become Malta's first-ever WBC champion.[16] He was originally scheduled to face the lesser-known Benoit Manno, but he was replaced by Parrinello by the WBC after he failed to make weight.[17]

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
18Win17–1 Mario AlfanoUD124 Dec 2020
17Win16–1 Slaveya StefanovKO1 (6), 2 Oct 2020
16Win15–1 Vittorio ParrinelloUD1023 Mar 2019
15Win14–1 David KanalasKO2 (6), 22 Sep 2018
14Win13–1 Fabrizio Trotta2 (8), 19 May 2018
13Loss12–1 Gaige Ireland1017 Mar 2018
12Win12–0 Egy RoztenKO4 (6), 8 Dec 2017
11Win11–0 Mohamed KhalladiUD830 Sep 2017
10Win10–0 Joebert Delos ReyesTKO2 (10), 8 Jul 2017
9Win9–0 Roy Tua ManihurukUD1026 Mar 2017
8Win8–0 Borislav GligoricTKO3 (8), 5 Aug 2016
7Win7–0 Sebastian SinghUD102 Jul 2016
6Win6–0 Will Sands7 (8), 12 Mar 2016
5Win5–0 Issaka IssahSD620 Nov 2015
4Win4–0 Sandor TurbuczUD630 Oct 2015
3Win3–0 Markko Moisar67 Aug 2015
2Win2–0 Ravil Mukhamadiyarov5 (6), 29 May 2015
1Win1–0 Gearoid Clancy427 Mar 2015

Notes and References

  1. News: A Maltese boxer's dream; aims to take pro record to 3-0 this Friday. The Malta Independent. Michael. Carabott. 5 August 2015. 2 June 2020.
  2. News: Laamouz keen to reach the top. Times of Malta. Valhmor. Camilleri. 17 September 2017. 3 June 2020.
  3. News: Laamouz takes title in Falken Cup in Sweden. Malta Today. 4 October 2013. 2 June 2020.
  4. News: Local boxer in world championships. Times of Malta. 2 September 2009. 3 June 2020.
  5. News: Haithem Laamouz packs a punch. eve.com.mt. Ramona. Portelli. 3 August 2016. 2 June 2020.
  6. Web site: Boxers' profile. AIBA. 2 June 2020. 1 March 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200301063728/https://d21c25674tgiqk.cloudfront.net/2017/07/Boxers-World-Boxing-Championships-Hamburg-2017-FINAL.pdf. dead.
  7. News: 2013 Sweden Box Cup. amateur-boxing.strefa.pl. 2 June 2020.
  8. News: 2014 King of the Ring Tournament. amateur-boxing.strefa.pl. 5 June 2020.
  9. News: South Oxhey Boxing Club's Reece Bellotti beaten in Haringey Box Cup Senior A 60 (1) class final by Haithem Laamouz. Watford Observer. 24 June 2014. 2 June 2020.
  10. News: Albion Park duo pick up WBA titles. Illawarra Mercury. Mitch. Jennings. 9 July 2016. 2 June 2020.
  11. News: Maltese Australia-based boxer captures WBA Asia Super Lightweight title. The Malta Independent. 4 July 2016. 2 June 2020.
  12. News: Laamouz edging closer to world title dream. Illawarra Mercury. Mitch. Jennings. 14 April 2017. 3 June 2020.
  13. News: Laamouz and Lucas ready to put on a show for local boxing fans. Illawarra Mercury. Mitch. Jennings. 20 June 2017. 3 June 2020.
  14. News: Laamouz and Lucas make home bout statement. Illawarra Mercury. Mitch. Jennings. 9 July 2017. 3 June 2020.
  15. News: Two boxers take out two national titles. Daily Mercury. Troy. Kippen. 20 March 2018. 3 June 2020.
  16. News: Haithem Laamouz Becomes Malta's First-Ever WBC Boxing Champion. Lovin Malta. Julian. Bonnici. 25 March 2019. 3 June 2020.
  17. News: Laamouz eyes Mediterranean belt against Italy's Parrinello. Times of Malta. 22 March 2019. 3 June 2020.