Things you didn't know about Mateusz Masternak
Back to Bournemouth for local hero Chris Billam-Smith as he makes a triumphant return to his coastal hometown to defend his WBO World Cruiserweight Title against Mateusz Masternak on Sunday, December 10th live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Peacock in the USA.
Masternak has fought in the UK once before but that was eight years ago, so BBN dug up as many interesting facts about the visiting fighter below:
Mateusz Masternak was born on May 2nd, 1987, in Iwaniska, in south-central Poland.
He first started boxing at the KSZO Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski club as a young teenager, then switched to the Gwardia Wrocław club at the age of 15 when he moved to Wrocław.
His first coaches in Gwardia were Mariusz Cieślak and Grzegorz Strugała, and in 2005 he became the junior champion of Poland at middleweight (75 kg), which enabled him to join the national junior team.
His overall amateur record was 61 wins in 70 fights.
Masternak turned pro in March 2006 and won his pro debut agianst Anton Lascek via second round knockout in Poland. His first five pro fights all ended via knockout.
He then had his next three pro fights in America, but financial problems with his promoter made him come back home to Poland.
In May 2007 he signed a contract with new professional group – CENG AG.
On October 3, Masternak won the WBC Youth cruiserweight title.
On October 24, 2009, Masternak defeated another Polish cruiserweight Łukasz Janik by technical knockout in round five of 10. The main event of the evening was a clash between Andrew Golota and Tomasz Adamek, which was promoted as "Polish Fight of the Century".
Mateusz Masternak fought in England on December 12, 2015, when he lost to Tony Bellew at the O2 Arena in London. The judges scored the contest 115-113, 115-112, 115-112 in favour of Bellew.
The globetrotter has fought in eight different countires – Poland (29); America (6); Germany (9); Denmark (3); England (1); Russia (1); Monaco (1); South Africa (1); France (1).
He has won a professional title from every single recognised governing body in boxing – WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO.
Roll of Honour
WBC Interim Youth title
TWBA Interim Youth title
IBO Inter-Continental title
European title
WBC Silver International title
WBA Inter-Continental title
WBO European title
IBF Inter-Continental title
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