Robert Stieglitz

Robert Stieglitz, born Sergey Shtikhlits and not widely known by a settled ring nickname, is a German former world champion who boxed principally at super-middleweight before finishing his career at light-heavyweight. He was born in Yeysk, then part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, on 20 June 1981 and later settled in Magdeburg. An orthodox boxer standing 5ft 11in, Stieglitz competed professionally from April 2001 until March 2017. He completed 57 contests with 50 victories, five defeats and two draws. He was twice WBO super-middleweight champion and later won the European light-heavyweight title.

Stieglitz came from the ethnic German community in Russia and moved to Magdeburg, where he boxed for 1. BC Magdeburg before joining the professional ranks. His amateur record has been reported as 80 victories and 10 defeats. He made his paid debut on 7 April 2001, defeating Petr Pokorny on points in Ilsenburg, and developed under the SES promotional organisation. Early junior titles at light-heavyweight were followed by a move down to super-middleweight, where he won the IBF Youth and Inter-Continental championships. His progress was steady rather than spectacular, built upon fitness, a high work-rate and persistent straight punching. By December 2005, he was unbeaten in 28 contests and earned a prominent ranking by stopping Alejandro Berrio in the 11th round of an eliminator.

His first attempt to win a world championship ended badly. When the vacant IBF super-middleweight title was contested in Rostock in March 2007, Berrio reversed their earlier result and stopped Stieglitz in the third round. After rebuilding with two victories, Stieglitz travelled to California for an IBF eliminator against Librado Andrade in March 2008. Andrade’s physical strength and sustained pressure proved too much, and Stieglitz was stopped in the eighth. The two defeats exposed defensive weaknesses, particularly when he was driven backwards and made to exchange under heavy pressure. They also appeared to sharpen his appreciation of pace and distance. He returned to Germany, won the WBC International title by a split decision over the previously unbeaten Lukas Wilaschek and secured another route towards a world championship.

The principal victory of Stieglitz’s career came in Budapest on 22 August 2009. Challenging Hungary’s Károly Balzsay for the WBO super-middleweight title, he was behind during the earlier part of the contest as the champion boxed with greater accuracy. Stieglitz continued to advance; however, he maintained a demanding pace and began to reach Balzsay consistently in the ninth round. The champion was cut, tired heavily and absorbed prolonged punishment in the tenth. Balzsay’s corner withdrew him before the start of the 11th, leaving Stieglitz the new champion. It was a victory founded upon stamina, pressure and an unwillingness to accept that the contest was slipping away. Stieglitz later acknowledged that he had not expected to receive a favourable decision in Hungary and had therefore understood the need to force a stoppage.

Stieglitz held the WBO championship for three years and made six successful defences. He stopped Ruben Eduardo Acosta in five rounds and defeated fellow German Eduard Gutknecht on points. A difficult unanimous decision over Enrique Ornelas was followed by a disqualification victory against Khoren Gevor, a stoppage of Henry Weber, and a points win over the experienced Nader Hamdan. The reign did not place him above the leading super-middleweights of the period, which included Andre Ward, Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler and Lucian Bute, but it established him as a reliable and well-supported champion in Germany. He fought at a brisk tempo, usually behind a firm jab, and was most effective when pressing forward with repeated straight combinations. He was not elusive and could be hurt, but he was exceptionally fit and rarely allowed an opponent a comfortable round.

Arthur Abraham became the defining opponent of Stieglitz’s later career. Abraham took the WBO title from him by unanimous decision in Berlin in August 2012, landing the heavier punches while Stieglitz supplied much of the activity. Their return in Magdeburg seven months later produced a complete reversal. Stieglitz attacked from the outset, closed Abraham’s left eye and regained the championship when the bout was stopped before the fourth round. He defended the belt against Yuzo Kiyota and Isaac Ekpo before meeting Abraham for a third time in March 2014. Abraham won a close split decision after dropping Stieglitz in the final round. A draw with former middleweight champion Felix Sturm followed later that year, after which Stieglitz received a fourth opportunity against Abraham in July 2015. This time, Abraham settled the rivalry conclusively, stopping him in the sixth round after a heavy right hand left Stieglitz unsteady. The series ended three victories to one in Abraham’s favour, although Stieglitz’s forceful performance in their second meeting provided one of the clearest demonstrations of his capabilities.

Stieglitz continued rather than retiring after the fourth Abraham fight. He moved permanently to light-heavyweight and, after two comeback victories, challenged Mehdi Amar for the vacant European championship in Magdeburg in November 2016. He won by unanimous decision, adding a significant continental title at the age of 35. His first defence, against Nikola Sjekloća in Leipzig on 18 March 2017, ended in a split draw. It proved to be his final appearance. On 23 May 2017, Stieglitz announced his retirement, explaining that repeated operations on his left hand and a shoulder injury that had not healed properly made continued work impractical. He left as reigning European champion, having boxed 408 professional rounds across a 16-year career.

Stieglitz remained connected to boxing after his retirement and has worked as a trainer in Germany. His career was closely associated with Magdeburg and the SES stable, for whom he became one of the most recognisable fighters. He was not the most naturally gifted super-middleweight of his period, nor did he establish supremacy over the division’s strongest international names. His standing rests instead upon longevity, conditioning and a substantial championship record. He recovered from two stoppage defeats before his first world title, won that title abroad against an unbeaten champion, regained it after losing it and later became European champion in a second weight class. Those achievements, together with a final record of 50–5–2, made him one of the more durable and successful German-based professionals of his generation.