Paolo Roberto
Encyclopedia
Paolo Roberto is a Swedish
ex-boxer
, actor
, and TV host of partial Italian
descent.
.
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
, which is one of the most important cult film
s in Sweden.
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
.
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.
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. He should not be compared to Kimbo Slice
. There is no evidence for his street fighting escapades. It was actually he himself who fueled the "street fighter" image by starring in a movie about himself where he was a rough street fighter.
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.
Roberto then moved up in weight to challenge fellow countryman Armand Krajnc
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.
Paolo then went back to his original weight class welterweight where after three fights he won the vacant WBO Inter-Continental 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. After being down several times in the first and second round spectators and fans all thought the referee would stop the fight. But in a controversial fashion the referee let the fight go on and Paolo Roberto's career was over.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
ex-boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, and TV host of partial Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
descent.
Outside boxing
He was a participant in the first season of Let’s Dance, the Swedish version of Dancing with the StarsDancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
.
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
Stockholmsnatt
Stockholmsnatt is a 1987 Swedish drama film directed by Staffan Hildebrand. The film is loosely based on a true story about Paolo Roberto, later a professional boxer and TV presenter. Because of his Italian roots, Paolo is dealing with an identity crisis...
, which is one of the most important cult film
Cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
s in Sweden.
He is featured in some chapters of Stieg Larsson
Stieg Larsson
Karl Stig-Erland Larsson , who wrote professionally as Stieg Larsson, was a Swedish journalist and writer, born in Skelleftehamn outside Skellefteå. He is best known for writing the "Millennium series" of crime novels, which were published posthumously...
's The Girl Who Played with Fire
The Girl Who Played with Fire
The Girl Who Played with Fire is the second novel in the best-selling "Millennium series" by Swedish writer Stieg Larsson. It was published posthumously in Swedish in 2006 and in English in January 2009....
and played himself in the film based on the book
The Girl Who Played with Fire (film)
The Girl Who Played with Fire is a 2009 Swedish thriller film directed by Daniel Alfredson, and the sequel to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by the late Swedish author and journalist Stieg Larsson, the second in his "Millennium series".The...
.
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.
Boxing career
Roberto started to compete professionally at the age of 24, but had earlier competed in kickboxingKickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
where he became Swedish champion, and before that Taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
where he became Nordic champion and repeated Swedish champion. He was known for fighting a lot in the street. He should not be compared to Kimbo Slice
Kimbo Slice
Kevin Ferguson , better known as Kimbo Slice, is a Bahamian-American boxer, mixed martial artist and occasional actor...
. There is no evidence for his street fighting escapades. It was actually he himself who fueled the "street fighter" image by starring in a movie about himself where he was a rough street fighter.
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
Referee (boxing)
The referee in the boxing is the individual charged with enforcing the rules of that sport during a match.-The role of the referee:Referees have the following roles:*Gives instructions to both boxers before the fight...
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
Javier Castillejo
Francisco Javier Castillejo is a professional boxer from Spain. He is the former WBC light middleweight champion and former WBA middleweight champion. He has fought against stars Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Sturm, Fernando Vargas, Julio Cesar Vasquez, Michael Rask, and Mariano Natalio Carrera...
to whom he lost in the fifth round by referee stoppage. Roberto was behind on all scorecards at the time the fight was stopped.
Roberto then moved up in weight to challenge fellow countryman Armand Krajnc
Armand Krajnc
Armand Krajnc is a Swedish-Slovenian boxer.-Professional career:Known as "Lion", Krajnc turned pro in 1996 and won the WBO Middleweight Title in 1999 with a TKO of Jason Matthews. Krajnc defended the title three times before losing the belt in 2002 to Harry Simon. One of Krajnc's title defenses...
for his WBO middle weight title. In between those fights he had four wins. In the fight against Krajnc
Armand Krajnc
Armand Krajnc is a Swedish-Slovenian boxer.-Professional career:Known as "Lion", Krajnc turned pro in 1996 and won the WBO Middleweight Title in 1999 with a TKO of Jason Matthews. Krajnc defended the title three times before losing the belt in 2002 to Harry Simon. One of Krajnc's title defenses...
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.
Paolo then went back to his original weight class welterweight where after three fights he won the vacant WBO Inter-Continental 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. After being down several times in the first and second round spectators and fans all thought the referee would stop the fight. But in a controversial fashion the referee let the fight go on and Paolo Roberto's career was over.
Professional boxing record
| Result | Record | Opponent | Method | Stadium | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 28 - 4 - 1 |  Sebastian Andres LujanSebastian Andres Lujan Sebastián Andrés Lujan is an Argentine professional boxer in the Welterweight division.-Pro career:... |
KO | Baltic Hall, Mariehamn, Finland | 2 | 1:22 |  MariehamnMariehamn Mariehamn is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government and Parliament of Åland, and 40% of the population of Åland live in the city... , Finland |
Loses WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title. | |
| Win | 28 - 3 - 1 |  Wayne Martell |
TKO (cuts) | Kisahalli, Helsinki, Finland | 10 | 1:52 | Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is... , Finland |
Wins WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title. | |
| Win | 27 - 3 - 1 | Raul Eduardo Bejarano |
UD | Finland | 12 | 3:00 | Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is... , Finland |
Wins WBC International welterweight title. | |
| Win | 26 - 3 - 1 |  David Sarraille |
TKO | Denmark, Odense Congress Center | 2 | 2:02 |  OdenseOdense The city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen... , Denmark |
||
| Win | 25 - 3 - 1 | Gyorgy Bugyik | TKO | Gubbio, Umbria, Italy | 2 | 1:59 |  GubbioGubbio Gubbio is a town and comune in the far northeastern part of the Italian province of Perugia . It is located on the lowest slope of Mt. Ingino, a small mountain of the Apennines. See also Mount Ingino Christmas Tree.-History:... , Italy |
||
| Win | 24 - 3 - 1 |  Ron Pasek |
KO | Cirkusbygningen, Copenhagen, Denmark | 3 | 2:45 | Copenhagen Copenhagen Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region... , Denmark |
Return to welterweight division. | |
| Loss | 23 - 3 - 1 | Armand Krajnc Armand Krajnc Armand Krajnc is a Swedish-Slovenian boxer.-Professional career:Known as "Lion", Krajnc turned pro in 1996 and won the WBO Middleweight Title in 1999 with a TKO of Jason Matthews. Krajnc defended the title three times before losing the belt in 2002 to Harry Simon. One of Krajnc's title defenses... |
UD | Hansehalle, Luebeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany | 12 | 3:00 |  Luebeck, Germany |
For WBO middleweight title. | |
| Win | 23 - 2 - 1 | Luiz Augusto Dos Santos | MD | Kisstadion, Budapest, Hungary | 8 | 3:00 |  BudapestBudapest Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter... , Hungary |
||
| Win | 22 - 2 -1 |  Edwin Murillo |
KO | Estrel Convention Center, Neukoelln, Berlin, Germany | 1 | 0:50 | Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... , Germany |
||
| Win | 21 - 2 - 1 | Anthony Ivory | UD | FTC Stadium, Budapest, Hungary | 8 | 3:00 | Budapest Budapest Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter... , Hungary |
||
| Win | 20 - 2 - 1 | Henry Hughes | TKO | Preussag Arena, Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany | 2 | 1:51 | Hannover, Germany |
||
| Loss | 19 - 2 - 1 | Javier Castillejo Javier Castillejo Francisco Javier Castillejo is a professional boxer from Spain. He is the former WBC light middleweight champion and former WBA middleweight champion. He has fought against stars Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Sturm, Fernando Vargas, Julio Cesar Vasquez, Michael Rask, and Mariano Natalio Carrera... |
TKO | Pabellon Europa, Leganes, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain | 7 | 1:47 |  MadridMadrid Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan... , Spain |
For WBC light middleweight title. | |
| Win | 19 - 1 - 1 |  Stefan DimitrovStefan Dimitrov Stefan Dimitrov was a basso opera singer. Born in the Black Sea town of Burgas, Bulgaria, he was of Greek origin. He won four international singing competitions at the very beginning of his career: those in Toulouse, the "Erkel" in Budapest, the "s’Hertogenbosch" in the Netherlands, and the... |
TKO | La Cubierta Palazo de Toros, Leganes, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain | 6 | 0:32 | Madrid Madrid Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan... , Spain |
||
| Win | 18 - 1 - 1 |  Jesus Mayorga |
UD | Thomas & Mack Center Thomas & Mack Center The Thomas & Mack Center is an arena, located on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. For ring events, the capacity is 19,522, for basketball, the capacity is 18,776.-History:... , Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
8 | 3:00 | Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous... , USA |
||
| Win | 17 - 1 - 1 |  David Baptiste |
TKO | Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom | 6 | 2:51 | Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880... , United Kingdom |
||
| Win | 16 - 1 - 1 | Djemal Mehmedov |
TKO | York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 4 | 2:48 | York York York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence... , United Kingdom |
||
| Win | 15 - 1 - 1 | Armando Briganti |
SD | Pesaro, Marche, Italy | 8 | 3:00 | Pesaro Pesaro Pesaro is a town and comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. According to the 2007 census, its population was 92,206.... , Italy |
||
| Win | 14 - 1 - 1 | Darryl Ruffin |
UD | Ballys Park Place Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | 8 | 3:00 | New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... , USA |
||
| Win | 13 - 1 - 1 | Darren Covill | PTS | Lee Valley Leisure Centre, Picketts Lock, London, United Kingdom | 6 | 3:00 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , United Kingdom |
||
| Win | 12 - 1 - 1 |  Viktor Fesechko |
PTS | Alexandra Pavilion, Muswell Hill, London, United Kingdom | 8 | 3:00 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , United Kingdom |
||
| Win | 11 - 1 - 1 | Danny Quacoe | PTS | San Gennaro Vesuviano, Campania, Italy | 8 | 3:00 | San Gennaro Vesuviano San Gennaro Vesuviano San Gennaro Vesuviano is a village of 10,100 people located in the province of Naples in Southern Italy.- Geography :San Gennaro Vesuviano is located in the country-side area around Nola approximately 25 kilometers east of Naples and nine kilometers from Nola... , Italy |
||
| Win | 10 - 1 - 1 | Steve Goodwin | PTS | Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom | 6 | 3:00 | Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands... , United Kingdom |
||
| Win | 9 - 1 - 1 | Paul King | PTS | Brondby hallen, Copenhagen, Denmark | 6 | 3:00 | Copenhagen Copenhagen Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region... , Denmark |
||
| Win | 8 - 1 - 1 |  Habib Ben Salah |
TKO | Le Caire, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France | 5 | 2:02 | Le Caire Le Caire Le Caire is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France, about 30 km north of Sisteron. Its inhabitants are called Cairois. The town's principal economic activity is Aboriculture.-Population:-Tourism:... , France |
||
| Win | 7 - 1 - 1 |  Josef Presinsky |
UD | Walsleben, Brandenburg, Germany | 6 | 3:00 | Brandenburg Brandenburg Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam... , Germany |
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| Win | 6 - 1 - 1 | Carl Winstone | PTS | Elephant & Castle Centre, Southwark, London, United Kingdom | 4 | 3:00 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , United Kingdom |
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| Win | 5 - 1 - 1 | Ernie Loveridge | PTS | Town Hall, Battersea, London, United Kingdom | 4 | 3:00 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , United Kingdom |
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| Loss | 4 - 1 - 1 | Dusty Miller | TKO | York Hall, Bethnal Green, London, United Kingdom | 2 | 2:28 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , United Kingdom |
||
| Draw | 4 - 0 - 1 | John Duckworth | PTS | Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom | 6 | 3:00 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , United Kingdom |
||
| Win | 4 - 0 | Roy Dehara | KO | York Hall, Bethnal Green, London, United Kingdom | 1 | 2:00 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , United Kingdom |
||
| Win | 3 - 0 | John Hughes | TKO | Tooting, London, United Kingdom | 1 | 0:21 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , United Kingdom |
||
| Win | 2 - 0 | Zoltan Dano |
PTS | Budapest, Hungary | 4 | 3:00 | Budapest Budapest Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter... , Hungary |
||
| Win | 1 - 0 | Laszlo Molnar |
TKO | Turku, Finland | 2 | 1:21 | Turku Turku Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland... , Finland |
Boxing debut for Roberto. | |