Paolo Roberto
Paolo Roberto | |
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Statistics | |
Real name | Paolo Antonio Roberto |
Rated at | Welterweight |
Nationality | Swedish |
Born |
Stockholm, Sweden | February 3, 1969
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.
Boxing career
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.[1]
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.[2]
Roberto then moved up in weight to challenge fellow countryman Armand Krajnc[3] 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.[4]
Paolo then went back to his original weight class welterweight where after three fights he won the vacant WBC International 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.[5] He never fought professionally again.[6]
All of Roberto's boxing matches took place outside of Sweden, including his championship fights, which were held in the Aland Islands, because pro boxing has been banned in Sweden since 1969.[7]
Outside boxing
He was a participant in the first season of Let’s Dance, the Swedish version of Dancing with the Stars.[8]
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.
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.[9][10]
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.[11]
Professional boxing record
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 | ![]() |
KO | Baltic Hall, Mariehamn, Finland | October 4, 2003 | 2 | 1:22 | ![]() |
Loses WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title. |
Win | 28 – 3 – 1 | ![]() |
TKO (cuts) | Kisahalli, Helsinki, Finland | February 2, 2003 | 10 | 1:52 | ![]() |
Wins WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title. |
Win | 27 – 3 – 1 | ![]() |
UD | Finland | November 16, 2002 | 12 | 3:00 | ![]() |
Wins WBC International welterweight title. |
Win | 26 – 3 – 1 | ![]() |
TKO | Denmark, Odense Congress Center | August 30, 2002 | 2 | 2:02 | ![]() | |
Win | 25 – 3 – 1 | ![]() |
TKO | Gubbio, Umbria, Italy | June 6, 2002 | 2 | 1:59 | ![]() | |
Win | 24 – 3 – 1 | ![]() |
KO | Cirkusbygningen, Copenhagen, Denmark | April 6, 2002 | 3 | 2:45 | ![]() |
Return to welterweight division. |
Loss | 23 – 3 – 1 | ![]() |
UD | Hansehalle, Luebeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany | November 13, 2001 | 12 | 3:00 | ![]() |
For WBO middleweight title. |
Win | 23 – 2 – 1 | ![]() |
MD | Kisstadion, Budapest, Hungary | June 6, 2001 | 8 | 3:00 | ![]() | |
Win | 22 – 2 -1 | ![]() |
KO | Estrel Convention Center, Neukoelln, Berlin, Germany | October 10, 2000 | 1 | 0:50 | ![]() | |
Win | 21 – 2 – 1 | ![]() |
UD | FTC Stadium, Budapest, Hungary | August 28, 2000 | 8 | 3:00 | ![]() | |
Win | 20 – 2 – 1 | ![]() |
TKO | Preussag Arena, Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany | June 4, 2000 | 2 | 1:51 | ![]() | |
Loss | 19 – 2 – 1 | ![]() |
TKO | Pabellon Europa, Leganes, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain | September 19, 1999 | 7 | 1:47 | ![]() |
For WBC light middleweight title. |
Win | 19 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
TKO | Plaza de Toros La Cubierta, Leganes, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain | April 14, 1999 | 6 | 0:32 | ![]() | |
Win | 18 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
UD | Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | February 13, 1999 | 8 | 3:00 | ![]() | |
Win | 17 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
TKO | Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom | December 19, 1998 | 6 | 2:51 | ![]() | |
Win | 16 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
TKO | York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom | September 26, 1998 | 4 | 2:48 | ![]() | |
Win | 15 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
SD | Pesaro, Marche, Italy | May 29, 1998 | 8 | 3:00 | ![]() | |
Win | 14 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
UD | Ballys Park Place Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | February 28, 1998 | 8 | 3:00 | ![]() | |
Win | 13 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
PTS | Lee Valley Leisure Centre, Picketts Lock, London, United Kingdom | January 31, 1998 | 6 | 3:00 | ![]() | |
Win | 12 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
PTS | Alexandra Pavilion, Muswell Hill, London, United Kingdom | October 14, 1997 | 8 | 3:00 | ![]() | |
Win | 11 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
PTS | San Gennaro Vesuviano, Campania, Italy | August 9, 1997 | 8 | 3:00 | ![]() | |
Win | 10 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
PTS | Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom | July 5, 1997 | 6 | 3:00 | ![]() | |
Win | 9 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
PTS | Brondby hallen, Copenhagen, Denmark | January 24, 1997 | 6 | 3:00 | ![]() | |
Win | 8 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
TKO | Le Caire, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France | September 19, 1996 | 5 | 2:02 | ![]() | |
Win | 7 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
UD | Walsleben, Brandenburg, Germany | June 16, 1996 | 6 | 3:00 | ![]() | |
Win | 6 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
PTS | Elephant & Castle Centre, Southwark, London, United Kingdom | November 29, 1995 | 4 | 3:00 | ![]() | |
Win | 5 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
PTS | Town Hall, Battersea, London, United Kingdom | September 21, 1995 | 4 | 3:00 | ![]() | |
Loss | 4 – 1 – 1 | ![]() |
TKO | York Hall, Bethnal Green, London, United Kingdom | April 27, 1995 | 2 | 2:28 | ![]() | |
Draw | 4 – 0 – 1 | ![]() |
PTS | Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom | November 7, 1994 | 6 | 3:00 | ![]() | |
Win | 4–0 | ![]() |
KO | York Hall, Bethnal Green, London, United Kingdom | September 29, 1994 | 1 | 2:00 | ![]() | |
Win | 3–0 | ![]() |
TKO | Tooting, London, United Kingdom | June 2, 1994 | 1 | 0:21 | ![]() | |
Win | 2–0 | ![]() |
PTS | Budapest, Hungary | February 27, 1994 | 4 | 3:00 | ![]() | |
Win | 1–0 | ![]() |
TKO | Turku, Finland | December 18, 1993 | 2 | 1:21 | ![]() |
Boxing debut for Roberto. |
Minor Titles held
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 |
References
- ↑ "Nolia |". Nolia.se. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
- ↑ "Paolo Roberto - Boxer". Boxrec.com. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
- ↑ "Sportbladet granskar Paolo Roberto och Armand Krajnc inför kvällens titelfight övertag för mästaren | Boxning | Sportbladet | Aftonbladet". Aftonbladet.se. 2001-11-03. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
- ↑ "Armand Krajnc vs. Paolo Roberto - Boxrec Boxing Encyclopaedia". Boxrec.com. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
- ↑ "BoxRec Paolo Roberto". BoxRec.com. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
- ↑ Id.
- ↑ "LUJAN WINS WBO BELT AGAINST ROBERTO". Associated Press. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
- ↑ "Kärleksparen i "Lets dance" | TV | Nöjesbladet | Aftonbladet". Aftonbladet.se. 2006-01-13. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
- ↑ "Paolo vill spela – sig själv | Film | Nöjesbladet | Aftonbladet". Aftonbladet.se. 2007-08-30. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
- ↑ Tweet Magnus Persson litteratur@svd.se (2010-09-14). "Recension: Larsson, Stieg - Luftslottet som sprängdes (Övrigt) | Litteratur | SvD" (in Swedish). Svd.se. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
- ↑ Interview with Paolo on November 15, 2010, by Marcus Grodi, "The Journey Home Show"
External links
- Professional boxing record for Paolo Roberto from BoxRec
- Paolo Roberto at the Internet Movie Database
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