Jan Zaveck
Jan Zaveck | |
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![]() Zaveck (middle) in 2011 | |
Statistics | |
Real name | Dejan Zavec |
Nickname(s) | Mr. Sympathicus |
Weight(s) |
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Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) |
Nationality | Slovenian |
Born | Trdobojci, SFR Yugoslavia (now Slovenia) | 13 March 1976
Stance | Orthodox |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 40 |
Wins | 35 |
Wins by KO | 19 |
Losses | 4 |
No contests | 1 |
Dejan Zavec (born 13 March 1976), best known as Jan Zaveck, is a Slovenian former professional boxer who competed from 2003 to 2015.[1] He held the IBF welterweight title from 2009 to 2011, and challenged once for the WBA super-welterweight title in 2015. Zaveck is the only Slovenian boxer to have held a world title, and was named Slovenian Sportsperson of the Year in 2010.
Early life[]
Dejan Zavec was born in Trdobojci,[2] Slovenia, then part of Yugoslavia. He spent his youth in Gabrnik in the Slovene Hills (Slovene: Slovenske gorice) and in Ptuj. He developed an interest in boxing at an early age. As a teenager, he joined the boxing club in Maribor. Later he resided in Gabrnik and in the city of Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
In 2006, he graduated from the Faculty for Physical Education in Novi Sad, Serbia.[3]
Boxing[]
Early career[]
Zavec started boxing at the age of 16. As an amateur, he fought in the 1995, 1997 and 1999 World championships.
Zavec turned professional in 2003, winning his first 26 fights. Early in his career, Zavec was briefly signed with Don King, but returned to Europe after the legendary promoter was unable to secure him bouts. Resuming his career in Germany with SES Boxing, Zavec earned a number of regional titles, including the WBO and IBF Inter-Continental and German (BDB) Welterweight Titles.
In 2008, Zavec traveled to Poland to meet Rafal Jackiewicz for the EBU European Welterweight Title. After twelve rounds, a controversial [4] split decision was announced in the Polish fighter's favor. The bout was Zavec's first professional loss.
IBF welterweight champion[]
On December 11, 2009 Zavec won the IBF welterweight title against South African Isaac Hlatshwayo in a stunning upset via knockout. With this victory, Zavec became Slovenia's first-ever boxing world champion.[5][6]
Zavec defended the IBF welterweight title for the first time against Rodolfo Martínez in Ljubljana, performing at the Tivoli Hall. He won by technical knockout in the twelfth round when the referee stopped the fight.[7]
On September 4, 2010, Zavec defended the IBF welterweight title the second time against mandatory challenger Rafał Jackiewicz at the Stožice Arena in Ljubljana. In defeating Jackiewicz, Zavec avenged what was his sole career loss at the time.[8][9]
Zavec was expected to face the winner of Randall Bailey-Said Ouali IBF title-eliminator that took place December 10, 2010, but the bout was ruled a no-contest. With no mandatory challenger established, Zavec opted for an optional defense in Ljubljana. On February 18, 2011, Zavec defended the IBF welterweight title for the third time against #15-ranked Paul Delgado, performing again at the Stožice Arena, in front of 12,000 spectators. He won with a technical knockout in the fifth round, when the referee stopped the fight.
After discussions to fight Paulie Malignaggi on the Saul Alvarez-Ryan Rhodes undercard fell through,[10] Zavec traveled to Biloxi, Mississippi to face former WBC light-welterweight champion Andre Berto on HBO on September 3, 2011. Despite being a 4-to-1 underdog coming into the fight, Zavec proved competitive; trading clean punches with Berto and earning praise from HBO's Roy Jones Jr. In the fifth round, a number of cuts opened on Zavec's face, which resulted in Zavec's corner waiving the fight off before the sixth round. The loss ended Zavec's reign as IBF welterweight champion.
Later career[]
After losing the IBF title, Zavec fought on for three more years; going the distance with future unified welterweight world champion Keith Thurman and challenging Erislandy Lara for the WBA and IBO Super Welterweight Titles in a TKO loss.
Zavec announced his retirement from boxing on March 13, 2016 at a press conference attended by Slovene President Borut Pahor.
Professional boxing record[]
40 fights | 35 wins | 4 losses |
By knockout | 19 | 2 |
By decision | 16 | 2 |
No contests | 1 |
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
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40 | Loss | 35–4 (1) |
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TKO | 3 (12), 0:41 | 25 Nov 2015 | ![]() |
For WBA (Regular) and IBO light-middleweight titles |
39 | Win | 35–3 (1) |
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UD | 12 | 11 Apr 2015 | ![]() |
Won WBF (Federation) light-middleweight title |
38 | Win | 34–3 (1) |
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TKO | 7 (12) | 14 Oct 2014 | ![]() |
Won vacant WBO European light-middleweight title |
37 | Win | 33–3 (1) |
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UD | 8 | 19 Nov 2013 | ![]() |
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36 | Loss | 32–3 (1) |
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UD | 12 | 9 Mar 2013 | ![]() |
Lost WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title |
35 | Win | 32–2 (1) |
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UD | 12 | 24 Mar 2012 | ![]() |
Won vacant WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title |
34 | Loss | 31–2 (1) |
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RTD | 5 (12), 3:00 | 3 Sep 2011 | ![]() |
Lost IBF welterweight title |
33 | Win | 31–1 (1) |
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KO | 5 (12) | 18 Feb 2011 | ![]() |
Retained IBF welterweight title |
32 | Win | 30–1 (1) |
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MD | 12 | 4 Sep 2010 | ![]() |
Retained IBF welterweight title |
31 | Win | 29–1 (1) |
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TKO | 12 (12), 2:20 | 9 Apr 2010 | ![]() |
Retained IBF welterweight title |
30 | Win | 28–1 (1) |
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TKO | 3 (12), 2:55 | 11 Dec 2009 | ![]() |
Won IBF welterweight title |
29 | Win | 27–1 (1) |
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KO | 12 (12) | 19 Jun 2009 | ![]() |
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28 | Win | 26–1 (1) |
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UD | 6 | 15 May 2009 | ![]() |
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27 | Loss | 25–1 (1) |
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SD | 12 | 29 Nov 2008 | ![]() |
For European welterweight title |
26 | Win | 25–0 (1) |
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UD | 12 | 15 Jun 2008 | ![]() |
Won vacant IBF Inter-Continental welterweight title |
25 | Win | 24–0 (1) |
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TKO | 4 (8), 2:33 | 19 Jan 2008 | ![]() |
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24 | Win | 23–0 (1) |
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UD | 10 | 13 Oct 2007 | ![]() |
Retained German International welterweight title |
23 | NC | 22–0 (1) |
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NC | 3 (12), 1:48 | 12 Jun 2007 | ![]() |
Vacant WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title at stake; NC after Zaveck was cut |
22 | Win | 22–0 | ![]() |
UD | 12 | 17 Feb 2007 | ![]() |
Won vacant European Union welterweight title |
21 | Win | 21–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 10 (12), 2:30 | 23 May 2006 | ![]() |
Retained WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title |
20 | Win | 20–0 | ![]() |
TD | 6 (12), 1:50 | 25 Mar 2006 | ![]() |
Retained WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title; Won vacant IBF Inter-Continental welterweight title; Unanimous TD after Mayo was cut from an accidental head clash |
19 | Win | 19–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 5 (8), 2:35 | 29 Oct 2005 | ![]() |
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18 | Win | 18–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 8 (12), 2:07 | 20 Sep 2005 | ![]() |
Won vacant WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title |
17 | Win | 17–0 | ![]() |
KO | 3 (6) | 18 Jun 2005 | ![]() |
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16 | Win | 16–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (6), 2:04 | 2 Feb 2005 | ![]() |
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15 | Win | 15–0 | ![]() |
KO | 4 (6), 1:56 | 15 Jan 2005 | ![]() |
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14 | Win | 14–0 | ![]() |
MD | 6 | 18 Sep 2004 | ![]() |
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13 | Win | 13–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 8 (10) | 17 Jul 2004 | ![]() |
Won vacant German International welterweight title |
12 | Win | 12–0 | ![]() |
UD | 8 | 5 Jun 2004 | ![]() |
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11 | Win | 11–0 | ![]() |
UD | 12 | 17 Apr 2004 | ![]() |
Won vacant NBA Inter-Continental welterweight title |
10 | Win | 10–0 | ![]() |
SD | 8 | 21 Feb 2004 | ![]() |
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9 | Win | 9–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 5 (8) | 29 Nov 2003 | ![]() |
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8 | Win | 8–0 | ![]() |
UD | 6 | 17 Nov 2003 | ![]() |
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7 | Win | 7–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 2, 2:44 | 20 Sep 2003 | ![]() |
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6 | Win | 6–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (6), 2:14 | 5 Jul 2003 | ![]() |
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5 | Win | 5–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 | 14 Jun 2003 | ![]() |
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4 | Win | 4–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 | 21 May 2003 | ![]() |
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3 | Win | 3–0 | ![]() |
UD | 6 | 25 Apr 2003 | ![]() |
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2 | Win | 2–0 | ![]() |
PTS | 6 | 21 Mar 2003 | ![]() |
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1 | Win | 1–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (4), 1:00 | 1 Mar 2003 | ![]() |
References[]
- ^ To. G., K. J. (27 November 2015). "Zavec to retire: "23 years has been enough. It's time for new victories"". RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ^ "Častni občani Občine Videm" [Honourable members of Videm municipality] (in Slovenian). 11 June 2011. Archived from the original on 29 December 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- ^ "Dejan Zavec - Od sirote do svetovnega prvaka" [Dejan Zavec - From an orphan boy to world champion] (in Slovenian). 11 June 2011. Archived from the original on November 7, 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- ^ "Jan Zaveck, The One and Only, At Least From Slovenia". BoxingScene. 10 October 2009. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- ^ "Jan Zaveck Shocks Isaac Hlatshwayo By Knockout". Boxing Scene. 11 December 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
- ^ "Zavec svetovni prvak v boksu!" [Zavec is the world champion!] (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. 11 December 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
- ^ "Zaveck retains IBF welter belt". Fightnews. 9 April 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
- ^ "Zavec ubranil naslov svetovnega prvaka" [Zavec defended the title of the world champion] (in Slovenian). Retrieved 4 September 2010.
- ^ "Zavec v Stožicah ubranil naslov svetovnega prvaka!" [Zavec in Stožice defended the title of the world champion!] (in Slovenian). Retrieved 4 September 2010.
- ^ "Dejan Zavec - Paul Malignaggi 18 czerwca?" [Dejan Zavec - Paul Malignaggi June 18?] (in Slovenian). Retrieved 4 September 2019.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dejan Zavec. |
showSporting positions |
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- 1976 births
- Living people
- Slovenian male boxers
- International Boxing Federation champions
- People from Ptuj
- Sportspeople from Magdeburg
- World welterweight boxing champions
- Light-middleweight boxers