| Paolo Roberto | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Paolo Antonio Roberto |
| Rated at | Welterweight |
| Nationality | Swedish |
| Born | February 3, 1969 Stockholm, Sweden |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 33 |
| Wins | 28 |
| Wins by KO | 13 |
| Losses | 4 |
| Draws | 1 |
| No contests | 0 |
Paolo Roberto (born 3 February 1969 in Upplands Väsby, Stockholms län, Sweden) is a Swedish ex-boxer, actor, and TV host of partial Italian descent.
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He was a participant in the first season of Let’s Dance, the Swedish version of Dancing with the Stars.[1]
He married Lena Arrelöv on 31 December 2003. The couple have one son, Enzo Antonio Roberto, born in 2004, and one daughter, Elisa Roberto, born in 2007.
His early life is dramatized in the 1987 Swedish movie Stockholmsnatt, which is one of the most important cult films in Sweden.
He is featured in some chapters of Stieg Larsson's The Girl Who Played with Fire and played himself in the film based on the book.[2][3]
Roberto has also talked openly of his conversion experience, which happened on a visit to St. Peter's in Rome. Wishing to approach the image of St. Michael the Archangel (the great "fighter" of the Heavenly Host), he was told he was not allowed in that roped off area. He asked, "Well, why can those people go in?" "They are going to confession," the guard replied. He thought of the empty life he had lived to his present, and told the guard, "Well, I'm going to confession, too." After over an hour with the priest, he said he felt renewed. The girl he had travelled to Rome with is now his wife, Lena Arrelöv. Roberto recounted this episode of his life to Marcus Grodi on the "Journey Home" show of EWTN.[4]
Roberto started to compete professionally at the age of 24, but had earlier competed in kickboxing where he became Swedish champion, and before that Taekwondo where he became Nordic champion and repeated Swedish champion. He was known for fighting a lot in the street. He should not be compared to Kimbo Slice. There is no evidence for his street fighting escapades. It was actually he himself who fueled the "street fighter" image by starring in a movie about himself where he was a rough street fighter.[5]
He started off his career with four consecutive victories before running into trouble. After fighting a six round draw against Roy Dehara he came back to the ring to be stopped in the second round against John Duckworth. His coach said in a post fight interview that Paolo refused to give up and that's probably why the referee stopped the fight. When asked about the incident Paolo simply said if he would give up in a street fight he would die. After his first loss he won fifteen straight fights before taking on the WBC light middleweight champion Javier Castillejo to whom he lost in the fifth round by referee stoppage. Roberto was behind on all scorecards at the time the fight was stopped.[6]
Roberto then moved up in weight to challenge fellow countryman Armand Krajnc[7] for his WBO middle weight title. In between those fights he had four wins. In the fight against Krajnc Roberto had the champion rocking on his feet in the opening round. A right hook stunned his opponent and he had to cover up against the ropes. Then later on in the fight Krajnc finally figured out his opponent and outboxed the smaller challenger.[8]
Paolo then went back to his original weight class welterweight where after three fights he won the vacant WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title against Raul Eduardo Bejarano. He then vacated his belt to fight for the WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title against Wayne Martell. Roberto dominated the fight and was winning when in the tenth round Martell's cut above his eye had gotten so bad the ring doctor decided he had had enough. In his first defense of his WBO title Roberto got knocked out in the second round against Sebastian Andres Lujan. After being down several times in the first and second round spectators and fans all thought the referee would stop the fight. But in a controversial fashion the referee let the fight go on and Paolo Roberto's career was over.
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 33 matches | 28 wins | 4 losses |
| By knockout | 13 | 3 |
| By decision | 15 | 1 |
| Draws | 1 | |
| Result | Record | Opponent | Method | Stadium | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 28 - 4 - 1 | Sebastian Andres Lujan | KO | Baltic Hall, Mariehamn, Finland | October 4, 2003 | 2 | 1:22 | Mariehamn, Finland | Loses WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title. |
| Win | 28 - 3 - 1 | Wayne Martell | TKO (cuts) | Kisahalli, Helsinki, Finland | February 2, 2003 | 10 | 1:52 | Helsinki, Finland | Wins WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title. |
| Win | 27 - 3 - 1 | Raul Eduardo Bejarano | UD | Finland | November 16, 2002 | 12 | 3:00 | Helsinki, Finland | Wins WBC International welterweight title. |
| Win | 26 - 3 - 1 | David Sarraille | TKO | Denmark, Odense Congress Center | August 30, 2002 | 2 | 2:02 | Odense, Denmark | |
| Win | 25 - 3 - 1 | Gyorgy Bugyik | TKO | Gubbio, Umbria, Italy | June 6, 2002 | 2 | 1:59 | Gubbio, Italy | |
| Win | 24 - 3 - 1 | Ron Pasek | KO | Cirkusbygningen, Copenhagen, Denmark | April 6, 2002 | 3 | 2:45 | Copenhagen, Denmark | Return to welterweight division. |
| Loss | 23 - 3 - 1 | Armand Krajnc | UD | Hansehalle, Luebeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany | November 13, 2001 | 12 | 3:00 | Luebeck, Germany | For WBO middleweight title. |
| Win | 23 - 2 - 1 | Luiz Augusto Dos Santos | MD | Kisstadion, Budapest, Hungary | June 6, 2001 | 8 | 3:00 | Budapest, Hungary | |
| Win | 22 - 2 -1 | Edwin Murillo | KO | Estrel Convention Center, Neukoelln, Berlin, Germany | October 10, 2000 | 1 | 0:50 | Berlin, Germany | |
| Win | 21 - 2 - 1 | Anthony Ivory | UD | FTC Stadium, Budapest, Hungary | August 28, 2000 | 8 | 3:00 | Budapest, Hungary | |
| Win | 20 - 2 - 1 | Henry Hughes | TKO | Preussag Arena, Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany | June 4, 2000 | 2 | 1:51 | Hannover, Germany | |
| Loss | 19 - 2 - 1 | Javier Castillejo | TKO | Pabellon Europa, Leganes, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain | September 19, 1999 | 7 | 1:47 | Madrid, Spain | For WBC light middleweight title. |
| Win | 19 - 1 - 1 | Stefan Dimitrov | TKO | Plaza de Toros La Cubierta, Leganes, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain | April 14, 1999 | 6 | 0:32 | Madrid, Spain | |
| Win | 18 - 1 - 1 | Jesus Mayorga | UD | Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | February 13, 1999 | 8 | 3:00 | Las Vegas, USA | |
| Win | 17 - 1 - 1 | David Baptiste | TKO | Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom | December 19, 1998 | 6 | 2:51 | Liverpool, United Kingdom | |
| Win | 16 - 1 - 1 | Djemal Mehmedov | TKO | York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom | September 26, 1998 | 4 | 2:48 | York, United Kingdom | |
| Win | 15 - 1 - 1 | Armando Briganti | SD | Pesaro, Marche, Italy | May 29, 1998 | 8 | 3:00 | Pesaro, Italy | |
| Win | 14 - 1 - 1 | Darryl Ruffin | UD | Ballys Park Place Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | February 28, 1998 | 8 | 3:00 | New Jersey, USA | |
| Win | 13 - 1 - 1 | Darren Covill | PTS | Lee Valley Leisure Centre, Picketts Lock, London, United Kingdom | January 31, 1998 | 6 | 3:00 | London, United Kingdom | |
| Win | 12 - 1 - 1 | Viktor Fesechko | PTS | Alexandra Pavilion, Muswell Hill, London, United Kingdom | October 14, 1997 | 8 | 3:00 | London, United Kingdom | |
| Win | 11 - 1 - 1 | Danny Quacoe | PTS | San Gennaro Vesuviano, Campania, Italy | August 9, 1997 | 8 | 3:00 | San Gennaro Vesuviano, Italy | |
| Win | 10 - 1 - 1 | Steve Goodwin | PTS | Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom | July 5, 1997 | 6 | 3:00 | Glasgow, United Kingdom | |
| Win | 9 - 1 - 1 | Paul King | PTS | Brondby hallen, Copenhagen, Denmark | January 24, 1997 | 6 | 3:00 | Copenhagen, Denmark | |
| Win | 8 - 1 - 1 | Habib Ben Salah | TKO | Le Caire, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France | September 19, 1996 | 5 | 2:02 | Le Caire, France | |
| Win | 7 - 1 - 1 | Josef Presinsky | UD | Walsleben, Brandenburg, Germany | June 16, 1996 | 6 | 3:00 | Brandenburg, Germany | |
| Win | 6 - 1 - 1 | Carl Winstone | PTS | Elephant & Castle Centre, Southwark, London, United Kingdom | November 29, 1995 | 4 | 3:00 | London, United Kingdom | |
| Win | 5 - 1 - 1 | Ernie Loveridge | PTS | Town Hall, Battersea, London, United Kingdom | September 21, 1995 | 4 | 3:00 | London, United Kingdom | |
| Loss | 4 - 1 - 1 | Dusty Miller | TKO | York Hall, Bethnal Green, London, United Kingdom | April 27, 1995 | 2 | 2:28 | London, United Kingdom | |
| Draw | 4 - 0 - 1 | John Duckworth | PTS | Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom | November 7, 1994 | 6 | 3:00 | London, United Kingdom | |
| Win | 4 - 0 | Roy Dehara | KO | York Hall, Bethnal Green, London, United Kingdom | September 29, 1994 | 1 | 2:00 | London, United Kingdom | |
| Win | 3 - 0 | John Hughes | TKO | Tooting, London, United Kingdom | June 2, 1994 | 1 | 0:21 | London, United Kingdom | |
| Win | 2 - 0 | Zoltan Dano | PTS | Budapest, Hungary | February 27, 1994 | 4 | 3:00 | Budapest, Hungary | |
| Win | 1 - 0 | Laszlo Molnar | TKO | Turku, Finland | December 18, 1993 | 2 | 1:21 | Turku, Finland | Boxing debut for Roberto. |
| Preceded by Vacant |
WBC International welterweight title 16 Nov 2002–2 Feb 2003 Vacates |
Succeeded by Alpaslan Aguzum |
| Preceded by Vacant |
WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title 2 Feb 2003–4 Oct 2003 |
Succeeded by Sebastian Andres Lujan |