Mihai Leu | |
---|---|
Statistics | |
Nickname(s) | Michael Loewe Lion |
Weight(s) | Welterweight |
Height | 5 ft. 7½ in. (172 cm.) |
Nationality | Romanian |
Born |
Hunedoara, Hunedoara County, Romania |
13 February 1969
Stance | Orthodox |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 28 |
Wins | 28 |
Wins by KO | 10 |
Losses | 0 |
Draws |
0 Official Site |
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Mihai Leu also known as Michael Loewe (born 13 February 1969, in Hunedoara) is a Romanian former professional boxer who fought out of Hamburg, Germany. He is a former WBO Welterweight Champion.
Leu retired after one title defense, against Michael Carruth, becoming the second European boxer to retire as an undefeated world champion, after Terry Marsh. Due to an injury, he was forced to abandon boxing but unwilling to give up the world of sports, he turned to be a rally driver. He later became a national rally champion.
He started boxing in 1977 at the Hunedoara Constructorul club. In 1981 he moved to the Hunedoara Metalul from where in 1982 he moved on to Dinamo Bucharest. During his time with Dinamo, he won the national championship four consecutive years: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986. In 1986, he moved to Steaua Bucharest and also became part of the national team.
In 1987, he became World Junior Champion.
In total he fought 200 amateur matches, out of which he won 190.
In 1991, he became a professional boxer in Germany (using the name Michael Loewe) and had 28 wins of 28 matches in welterweight, winning the following titles:
In 1998 he started his new career at the wheel of a Ford Ka and after only three years, he managed to become Romania's rally vice-champion. He had already participated in rallying before, having made his debut in 1994, at the Banat Rally, on a Volkswagen Golf GTI.
Five years later, in 2003, he became Romania's national champion driving a Hyundai Accent WRC, with co-driver Ciprian Solomon. After failing to win another race after his championship winning year, Mihai Leu gave up competitive rallying in 2008, only to return in 2010, as team-manager of Jack Daniel's Rally Team, in the Romanian National Rally Championship (CNR).