Mihai Leu

Mihai Leu
Leu in 2014
Personal information
Nicknames
  • Michael Löwe
  • Lion
NationalityRomanian
Born(1968-02-13)13 February 1968
Hunedoara, Romania
Died1 July 2025(2025-07-01) (aged 57)
Bucharest, Romania
Height5 ft 7+1⁄2 in (171 cm)
WeightWelterweight
Boxing career
Reach64 in (163 cm)
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights28
Wins28
Win by KO10
Losses0
Medal record
Men's Amateur boxing
Representing  Romania
World Junior Championships
1987 Havana Light welterweight

Mihai Leu (13 February 1968[1] – 1 July 2025), also known as Michael Löwe, was a Romanian professional boxer who competed between 1991 and 1997. He held the WBO welterweight title in 1997.

Leu retired after one title defense, against Michael Carruth, becoming the third European boxer to retire as an undefeated world champion, after Jack McAuliffe and 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.

Amateur career

Leu started boxing in 1977 at local club Constructorul Hunedoara. In 1981, he transferred to Metalul Hunedoara, and in 1982 he moved on to Dinamo Bucharest. During his time with Dinamo, he won the national championship four years in a row (1983–1986). In 1986, he joined Steaua Bucharest and also became a member of the national team. In 1987, he became World Junior Champion in Havana, Cuba.

In 1987, after becoming World Junior Champion, he fled communist-ruled Romania, risking severe consequences, and moved to West Germany.[2] There, he competed for Bayer Leverkusen, with whom he became German champion twice, in 1989 and 1990.[3]

In total he fought 200 amateur matches, out of which he won 190.

Professional career

In 1991, Leu became a professional boxer in Germany (using the name Michael Löwe). He would go on to win the vacant WBO welterweight title in 1997 by defeating Santiago Samaniego.[4] He would defend the title once against Irish challenger Michael Carruth,[5] before officially retiring in 1998.

Rally career

He made his debut in 1994 at the Banat Rally, driving a Volkswagen Golf GTI. In 1998, Leu 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.

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 following his championship-winning year, Leu retired from competitive rallying in 2008, only to return in 2010 as team manager of the Jack Daniel's Rally Team, in the Romanian National Rally Championship (CNR).

Personal life, illness and death

Leu was the son of Nicolae Leu, a well-known Romanian rally driver of the 1970s and 1980s. His brother, Victor, also made his debut in car racing in 1999, as his co-driver.[6]

Leu was married to Anna, an Italian woman he met in Germany, and the couple had one son named Marco.[7]

Leu was involved in politics along with the Partidul Conservator, despite failing to secure a place in the European Parliament, in the 2007 national elections. He worked part-time as assistant at the Tibiscus University in Timișoara.[8]

In 2014, Leu had colon cancer and received surgery in Bucharest and treatment in Vienna.[9]

Leu died aged 57, in Bucharest on 1 July 2025, following a long illness.[10]

Professional boxing record

28 fights 28 wins 0 losses
By knockout 10 0
By decision 18 0
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
28 Win 28–0 Michael Carruth MD 12 20 September 1997 Tivoli Eissporthalle, Aachen, Germany Retained WBO welterweight title
27 Win 27–0 Santiago Samaniego UD 12 22 February 1997 Alsterdorfer Sporthalle Hamburg, Germany Won vacant WBO welterweight title
26 Win 26–0 Eric Jakubowski TKO 5 (10) 16 November 1996 Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
25 Win 25–0 Jorge Ramirez PTS 8 19 October 1996 Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany
24 Win 24–0 Dwayne Swift KO 4 (10) 8 June 1996 Deutz Sporthalle, Cologne, Germany
23 Win 23–0 Freddy Demeulenaere PTS 8 4 May 1996 Sport und Erholungszentrum, Berlin, Germany
22 Win 22–0 Jose Brand PTS 8 14 April 1996 Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
21 Win 21–0 Miguel Ángel Peña PTS 8 10 June 1995 Europahalle, Karlsruhe, Germany
20 Win 20–0 Craig Houk TKO 11 (12), 2:24 1 April 1995 Saaltheater Geulen, Aachen, Germany Won vacant WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title
19 Win 19–0 Bobby Butters UD 8 28 January 1995 Sporthalle, Berlin, Germany
18 Win 18–0 Harold Bennett PTS 8 17 December 1994 Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
17 Win 17–0 Stefan Schramm PTS 10 3 December 1994 Atelier Bruno Bruni, Hamburg, Germany Won vacant German International welterweight title
16 Win 16–0 Benjamin Felix TKO 2 (?) 13 November 1994 Universum Gym, Hamburg, Germany
15 Win 15–0 Lloyd Ratalsky TKO 4 (?) 22 October 1994 Hansehalle, Lübeck, Germany
14 Win 14–0 Attila Veres PTS 8 3 September 1994 Domplatz, Wiener Neustadt, Austria
13 Win 13–0 Gejza Stipak TKO 4 (?) 10 April 1994 Universum Gym, Hamburg, Germany
12 Win 12–0 Pave Turic KO 2 (?) 19 March 1994 Lugner City, Vienna, Austria
11 Win 11–0 Antonio Daga PTS 8 19 February 1994 Sportshalle, Hamburg, Germany
10 Win 10–0 Hector Omar Luque PTS 6 5 February 1994 Deutschlandhalle, Berlin, Germany
9 Win 9–0 Nestor Jesus Gil PTS 8 15 October 1993 Sporthalle, Berlin, Germany
8 Win 8–0 Marino Monteyne PTS 6 2 October 1993 Barbarossa Halle, Kaiserslautern, Germany
7 Win 7–0 Farid Bennecer TKO 4 (?) 11 September 1993 Tivoli Eissporthalle, Aachen, Germany
6 Win 6–0 Miroslav Strbak KO 4 (?) 26 June 1993 Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
5 Win 5–0 Oscar Washington PTS 6 22 May 1993 Tivoli Eissporthalle, Aachen, Germany
4 Win 4–0 Miroslav Strbak PTS 6 3 April 1993 Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
3 Win 3–0 Wayne Green PTS 4 13 February 1993 Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
2 Win 2–0 Jan Mazgut KO 2 (?) 13 December 1991 Minden, Germany
1 Win 1–0 Gejza Stipak PTS 6 16 September 1991 Legien Center, Berlin, Germany

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mihai Leu.

References

  1. ^ Mihai Leu a împlinit 49 de ani. Povestea emoţionantă a campionului mondial la box profesionist
  2. ^ Guţă, Daniel (13 September 2014). "Mihai Leu, fost campion mondial la box: "Am fugit din ţară în 1987, deşi aveam totul aici, mai puţin libertate. Plângeam de dorul de casă". Adevarul.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  3. ^ "Boxen Erfolge". TSVBayer04.de (in German). Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  4. ^ "Devers bounds past Torrence in 60m dash". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Arizona's Olson to Receive 2-Year Extension". Los Angeles Times. 21 September 1997. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  6. ^ Nazare, Daniel (8 July 2025). "Conducerea Federației Române de Box nu-l uită pe Mihai Leu! "Va avea o competiție cu numele lui". EXCLUSIV". ProSport.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  7. ^ Ifrim, Dora (3 July 2025). "Cine este Anna, soția lui Mihai Leu. Este italiancă și are un fiu cu regretatul campion la box". Viva.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  8. ^ Rusu, Sorin (2 July 2025). "A murit Mihai Leu. Primul campion mondial din istoria boxului profesionist românesc avea cancer". Euronews.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  9. ^ Lungu, Mia (1 July 2025). "A murit Mihai Leu. Fostul campion mondial de box avea 56 de ani". Antena3.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Mihai Leu a murit » Fostul mare campion de box a pierdut lupta cu boala la 56 de ani". Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 1 July 2025. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
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