Photo: Fightsite.hr
The rumors are swirling on boxing sites worldwide that one-time boxing champion Željko Mavrović is looking to come out of retirement. Mavrović’s last bout in 1998 was against another legend and champion in Lennox Lewis, when he lost a decison on points. The Croatian heavyweight boxing legend left the sport with an impressive 27 wins and one loss. 22 of those wins coming by way of knockout.
Željko Mavrović (43) is currently in training and is reported to be making a return to the ring after his business, producing his own line of eco-friendly food, went bust leaving him heavily indebted to the banks.
Mavrović’s Golden Glove win remains the biggest trophy in the history of Croatian heavyweight boxing. He was also named Croatian sportsperson of the year twice and held the European Heavyweight Championship title for three years.
With the current state of boxing’s heavyweight division dim, can the iron chinned Croat really make a run for the title at 43 years of age? Or is he just in it for a quick payday? No matter what happens, the man will be regarded as a legend in Croatia.
Mavrović Knockout Highlights
Written by Mike “Croatian Crippler” Rozic
You can follow me on Twitter @Crocrippler or on Facebook @ Croatian Crippler
Some if you need to approach it with this attitude. Croats had nothing to do with black slavery and colonies. Nothing!!!
Looks like some of you need to lace it up and settle all this tension in the RING!
Respect to all my blogging thugs.
It was great to see a Hrvat be in a major fight BUT he did actually do much once in the ring. He was in great shape and had good stamina. Unfortunately so do marathon runners. I like to see my Croatian brothers come to lay down the wood and take names!
See Niko Kovac and Dražen Petrovic for athletic examples and Gotovina for battle field example.
@Poglavnik
Don’t let these idiots get to you. I respect you, your brother and what your father did for Croatia. Bog i Hrvati.
You said “Vegetarians are retards”
I’m a vegetarian and I have a mentally handicapped brother.
Not everyone is a vegetarian for health reasons you know.
And yes you are a moron!
@Poglavnik, so Croatians who demanded SEGREGATION (i.e. independence) from Serbs are “hate filled morons”???
It’s hard to see White GENOCIDE, when you’re anti-White.
@Poglavnik, so Tibetans who object to Chinese immigration and [quote] “assimilation” [unquote] in Tibet are “hate filled morons”???
It’s hard to see White GENOCIDE when you’re an anti-White. NO?
@Poglavnik,
No, all you said was to “read some book” and “eating meat is bad for the environment”.
How does that refute what I said – which is (again) that the biggest case studies showed eating nothing but meat for months made people (who were already healthy; after all, you have to be in great shape to explore Antarctica) significantly healthier than they were before and that the Atkins diet works???
And you’re calling me a “moron”? LOL!
And what exactly did I say that is “hate filled”? Go ahead, anti-White, I can’t wait to see what you’re going to say. Screaming “hate” won’t hide the reality I’m forcing on you.
Ric Flair , & Ripper Savage were the Best !
@Anonymous
Actually I did refute something you said… Open you’re eyes past that right-wing, hate-filled, propaganda you fill your head with. Moron!
TheGoldenChild: “Your one track mind and arguments are great. Keep up the good work.”
“One track mind” huh? This from someone who only talks about Croatian this and that, and mostly just sports to boot. It just so happens I mostly talk about the ongoing program of GENOCIDE against my RACE, the White RACE; where is that on your priority list? #46 out of your list of 45 priorities?
You care so much about Croatians, but care nothing about the RACE Croatians belong to? And you honestly can’t see how fucking retarded that is?
You live in California, right? California has gone from being over 80% White to 40% White in just a few decades; you think this is normal? Can you think of ANY (just ONE) non-white group this happening to? When one Asian group immigrates and “assimilates” with another Asian group as in Tibet, it’s called GENOCIDE – but when completely foreign RACES immigrate and “assimilate” into EVERY and ONLY White countries, it’s called “diversity” and “social progress”.
Poglavnik
“@Anonymous
Thats gotta be one of the dumbest posts I’ve ever read! I wish I had the time or patience to get into it with you.”
That’s a code-sentence for ‘I can’t refute anything you said, so I’ll just call what you said “dumb” without explaining why, and hope believe me’. LOL!
@ Allen
If your not the Allen I’m thinking of maybe you should change your nick to avoid the mix up. Second Mavrovic held the European title for 3 consecutive years until he gave it up didnt lose it which would make him a European boxing legend. Also you post only the guy with the worst records you could find. Those are the guys they put in front of him there is nothing he could do but fight them.
You also left out a few names that he beat with good records.
Przemyslaw Saleta 43-7
Christophe Bizot 17-4
Vincenzo Cantatore 33-5
Clifton Mitchell 18-2
Lajos Eros 21-9 (not greatest but also was on Klitschkos record)
Have a look at some of the guys Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko faced in their career so far. There is guys on there with worst records then a lot of the guys Mavrovic faced.
That is the problem with the talent pool at that time in Europe and in boxing overall. There wasn’t many guys with good records to face just a lot of journeymen but you can’t fault Mavrovic for that.
And your comment about how he would of his career would of been short lived in a real talent pool. I wouldn’t say that is safe to assume. The guy had real talent and could take a punch and had a lot of heart. You can’t train to take a punch or heart but you can get better at technique and boxing which I’m sure he would of to adapt to the better opponents but never had the chance to do that in his prime.
Last but not least if you choose not to read my articles thats fine it won’t hurt my feelings. I take time out of my busy schedule to write these articles, travel to do interviews etc…. for free. I choose to do it because I’m proud to be Croatian and want to provide the community worldwide an opportunity to read and hear from our combat athletes around the world.
Anyways like I said before if this guy does make a return at 43yrs old it will be interesting to see if he is in it to actually do something or just in it for a pay day.
@ Mark
I agree with you tottally these guys should hang them up. I will give Mirko credit though where credit is due, he has been impressive since leaving the UFC and returning to K1 but I’m not sold on him being a threat for the K1 title yet.
I still got chills:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVHCcbaWpzw
But this has to be a joke, right?? He hasn’t fought in 15 years, he’s had undisclosed injuries and he’s old as fukc. He and Cro Cop should start their own “old timers” gym for 40+. Hang up the towels boys, once and for all!
idk what the hell got you the impression that I like WWE, I think your mixing yourself up with another Allen, but nice try. You are right any one can make a wikipedia page about any one, but for some reason half the guys he faced were no good and do not deserve one. I actually will post something for you to show how much of a “legend he is.” Also which one is it, in the same argument you state he is a croatian legend and than you say legend of european boxing…..so which one is it? Your arguments are all over the map.
also it wasn’t just one fighter……..but i guess you do not research, you just think every one is a legend.
Bruno Podgorny 4-5-0
John Morton 10-24-0
David Bey 17-10-1
Kimmuel Odum 15-12-0
Marshall Tillman 15-11-1
Jimmy Bills 15-19-5
Mike Dixon 14-13-0
Mark Young 13-29-1
Nathaniel Fitch 10-8-0
Oleg Savenko 3-0-0 (14-0 record again a guy with 3 fight experience….okay)
Marion Wilson 7-10-3
Jerry Jones 9-9-0
Michael Murray 12-8-0
Mark Wills 14-15-1 (22-0 record)
14 out of 27 wins were against guys that were worse than pylons. Please tell me that you take what you said back because if he is a true “European boxing legend” I really need to skip your articles from now on. At least when guys like ziva istina talk, they throw some facts out
Based all on the history, it is safe to assume his venture into a real talent pool would have been short lived.
yet again insults instead of arguments….you did not say croatian legend, you said boxing legend, but i guess when your wrong you just throw half ass jokes that no one finds funny. Is he a croatian legend, sure why not for a population that small hes maybe the best to come out, but that is not what you said. Yet again keep changing your arguments as you look stupid, you haven’t thrown out one fact or name to prove he defeated some one well known or relevant to boxing, because he never has. He’s a local legend that beat on a few cans in Europe and his first pay day he lost, that’s a fact.
ps. you should learn how to debate with ppl, it quite lame. I do not know where WWE wrestlers even came from but okay cool. My point was he fought a bunch of no names which ppl could care less about and didn’t make a wikipedia pages for these ppl, but nice try buddy.
@Allen
First off I meant Croatian boxing legend not boxing legend as he didnt face enough opponents out of Europe to be considered that. Although he was a well respected and talked about boxer worldwide at the time not just in Hrvatska. The man was the European champ so he cleared all opponents in Europe then faced the world champ and lost decision. Whos to say he wouldnt of made an impact in the world of boxing if he didnt keep fighting. The man took everything Lewis had and kept on coming now thats heart. Now for the WWE posting is because you posted a comment about backyard wrestlers having a wikpedia profile and I know you love wwe. Third is wikpedia isnt a way to meausure whether someone is good or not. I can make a wikpedia page for you that doesnt mean your a superstar now. The bottom line is the guy was a legend of european boxing and never had a chance to really impact the sport worldwide. Whether he would of or not who knows. Lets see if he can do anything in the depleted heavyweight boxing scene at 43 yrs of age. Im sure he still has the iron chin but does he have the power and speed anymore is yet to be seen.
“Outraged” is back!
@Allen
I guess in your mind he isnt a Croatian legend. The only legends in your mind are your WWE wrestlers like the razor ramon,junkyard dog,CmPunk,and Shawn Micheals lol
@Allen
Being a European Champion for 3 years makes you more than a local legend. Maybe not a Eurpean “legend” but he definitely put his stamp on the game over there during the ’90’s
Anywho, how do you like your Falcons chances this week? Gotta say if any D can slow down Matty-Ice it looks like it could be the Shithawks and their awesome (‘roided-out) secondary.
he’s such a damn legend more than half the guys he beat in his career do not even have a wikipedia page……sh*t backyard wrestlers got a wikipedia page
@croatian crippler
Theres a difference between “padding stats” and fighting a bunch of pylons your entire career, let’s not keep insulting each other. You throw no facts into your argument, its rather annoying to debate with some one who defends his argument by just jumping to conclusions. I never stated hes the only person that has fought half ass talent, the difference he is only fought cans until his one shot at glory and lost.
Even as an amateur he did a horrible job, every time he went out his local area he lost, good job bravo. At the end of the day, and I will say this once again he was just another Croatian that locals hyped up and thought he would knock Lewis out, and how quickly mistakes they were. Same goes for all the basketball teams that would beat NBA teams…..lol. Hes a local hero, but in the big scope he was nothing. Hes a fucking legend in your mind, fuck let’s throw words around like legend for every single person that has a Croatian nationality, you are delusional.
@Allen
Shows how much you know about the sport of boxing. Every boxer,champion or legend has bums on his record. Boxing is known to pad guys records with some chumps. The funny thing is you picked one guy with a shitty record off his win list. Im not saying he is going to return and beat the Klitschko bros but he is a legend in the sport of boxing period.
@Anonymous
The site that you keep reading and commenting on. I guess the 3 stooges are doing something right. Your one track mind and arguments are great. Keep up the good work.
Win 13-29-1 Mark “The Storm” Young RTD 5 25/03/1995 Dusseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany Young could not answer the bell for round six.
You must be a top world wide talent when you face a guy with a record of 13-29-1 lmao….like come on ive never seen such a uglier display of talent faced throughout a career……maybe you should do your research before you post crap attacking some one elses posts
@croatian crippler
I stand by my comments, he faced no one with exceptional talent, first time he faced a big name he lost, two decisions with Holyfield after that fight, decision with Tua, loss to rahman and I won’t even talk about that last fight with Klitschko.
Lewis was waiting for the big matchup against Holyfield, who knows how much effort was put into his camp and maybe he didn’t train as hard as he could have, I could care less if he lasted 12 rounds. You either win or lose and the only time he faced a real talent he lost. He was a local legend that was hyped (like most fighters are to make sales) and lost. I am sure he would have lost any day of the week to any top 10 talent at that time, sadly he got ill and couldnt continue, but I stand by my comments.
@Anonymous
Thats gotta be one of the dumbest posts I’ve ever read! I wish I had the time or patience to get into it with you. Pick up a book called “Eating Animals” and then tell me what you think of our planets meat eating habits and what its doing to the environment. Also the meat in Antarctica, Im guessing, wasn’t processed in a factory farm so it might actually be healthy to eat.
Vegetarians are retards, the biggest case studies (which are kept quiet by the establishment) of explorers (White men I might add) who got stuck in Antarctica over the winter HAD TO eat nothing but meat they hunted for months, and they came back healthier than they had ever been.
The nutrition industry spent millions upon millions of their endless resources to try and discredit the Atkins diet; never mind that it worked.
Just think, thousand and thousands of years ago humans HAD TO eat meat to survive for thousands of years; you think the human body may have adapted to that?
Remember when the three stooges who run this website thought they were all courageous for blacking out this website in protest of the proposed goverment internet regulations?
Do you realize that the far left and the religious right teamed up to try to implement those regulations? The Right cried “pornography” and the left cried “racism”. The Left tried to shut down any politically incorrect speech on the internet because it was “racist”. And that’s EXACTLY what the three stooges/moderators do on this website. Hypocrites.
And political incorrectness has nothing do with Don Imus saying “nappy headed hoes”, that’s just an insult, the three stooges who run this site NEVER erase those type of comments. But when someone states the obvious truth that all brown countries are 3rd world because they are filled with brown people, then the “courageous” three stooges who say they believe in “freedom of speech” quickly erase the comment to hide the REALITY we are forcing on YOU.
apparently mavrovic failed when it came to growing vegetables and meat. but is now returning to boxing for the cheddar
“I love watching Slavs pound the shit out of the brothers”
“the brothers” meaning ALL black men, right? But then you seperate white men into ethnic catagories? Why is that? Who brainwashed you?
This stuff about Mavrovic making a “come back” is a joke, right?
Lewis carried Mavrovic.
What happened to Mavrovic?
He never fought again after that Lennox fight and finished with a 27-1 record with that one unanimous decision loss going against Lennox. He was only 29 years old and he had some unknown illness that caused him to retire.
What’s crazy is that he was a vegetarian and somehow became a top heavyweight boxer, lol.
Maybe the dude had cancer, which could be the reason why he went all-out into the veggie health business. I dunno.
@Kreso…..I’m not an optimist or a negativac. What I am is a realist and objective person who makes comments based on unbiased observations and the facts.
@Allen
You should do some research before you post lol. This guy went 12 rds with Lennox Lewis when Lewis was dismantling the heavyweight division. Mavrovic was one of the most talked about heavyweights at that time worldwide not just in Hrvatska. The boxing media is all over his possible return already.
Željko Mavrović meh…..I remember my family back home talking how he would murder Lewis and any heavyweight, how wrong they were. Croatian legend, just another name every where else. Could care less, won’t spend my time on this guy.
ziva, you are an optimist, you recognized a good round!
With the exception of one round (where he almost placed Lewis on his ass) Lewis dominated that fight.
I remember watching Mavrovic fight Lewis. It was a good fight as he surprised all of us going the distance with Lewis.
I love watching Slavs pound the shit out of the brothers,
Beautiful! Used to love watching this guy fight. Go make yourself a little more money Champ. You deserve it!