Sam Soliman
Encyclopedia
Sam Soliman is an Australia
n boxer
of Coptic Egyptian
descent. Soliman began his boxing career after studying multiple forms of martial arts, such as Tae Kwon Do, Karate
, and Kick-Boxing.
by a twelve round Unanimous Decision, on 17 July 2004.
A rematch with fellow Australian Anthony Mundine
, who Soliman suffered a split decision loss to earlier in his career, ended in a ninth round TKO loss for Soliman. Soliman moved up from his normal 160 lb middleweight
division to take on Mundine in the Super Middleweight
division, for the vacant WBA
Super Middleweight Title. After suffering a knockdown in round 2, Mundine ended the fight in the 9th round, by knocking Soliman down three times.
He was one of the boxers featured on the 3rd season of the boxing reality TV series, The Contender
, which premiered 4 September 2007 on ESPN. On the Contender, Soliman captured third place after defeating Wayne Johnsen. Solimans only loss was in a competitive Unanimous Decision loss to Sakio Bika, the eventual third season Contender Champion.
Sam Soliman is trained by Dave Hedgecock, managed by David Stanley and based in Melbourne, Australia, where he lives with his wife Maria and son.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n 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...
of Coptic Egyptian
Copt
The Copts are the native Egyptian Christians , a major ethnoreligious group in Egypt....
descent. Soliman began his boxing career after studying multiple forms of martial arts, such as Tae Kwon Do, Karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
, and Kick-Boxing.
Amateur Boxing Career
Soliman compiled an Amateur Record consisting of 84 fights, with 11 losses.Professional Boxing Career
Soliman turned pro at the Cruiserweight level in 1997 at the age of 23. Soliman fought 12 rounds for the Australian Cruiserweight Championship in only his second fight. He gained a worldwide audience when he defeated Raymond JovalRaymond Joval
Raymond Joval is a professional boxer from The Netherlands, who was formerly the International Boxing Organization World Middleweight Champion....
by a twelve round Unanimous Decision, on 17 July 2004.
A rematch with fellow Australian Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine is an Australian professional boxer and former rugby league footballer.He is the current interim WBA Light Middleweight Champion boxer, former two-time WBA Super Middleweight Champion, former IBO Middleweight Champion and New South Wales State of Origin representative footballer....
, who Soliman suffered a split decision loss to earlier in his career, ended in a ninth round TKO loss for Soliman. Soliman moved up from his normal 160 lb middleweight
Middleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
division to take on Mundine in the Super Middleweight
Super middleweight
Super Middleweight is a boxing and Muay Thai weight division that has a weight limit of 168 pounds .- 1960s–1983 :There was interest in a division between Middleweight and Light Heavyweight in the late 1960s, the mid-1970s, and the early 1980s...
division, for the vacant WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
Super Middleweight Title. After suffering a knockdown in round 2, Mundine ended the fight in the 9th round, by knocking Soliman down three times.
He was one of the boxers featured on the 3rd season of the boxing reality TV series, The Contender
The Contender (TV series)
The Contender is a reality television series that follows a group of boxers as they compete with one another in an elimination-style competition, while their lives and relationships with each other and their families are depicted. Produced by Mark Burnett, the show is hosted by Sugar Ray Leonard,...
, which premiered 4 September 2007 on ESPN. On the Contender, Soliman captured third place after defeating Wayne Johnsen. Solimans only loss was in a competitive Unanimous Decision loss to Sakio Bika, the eventual third season Contender Champion.
Sam Soliman is trained by Dave Hedgecock, managed by David Stanley and based in Melbourne, Australia, where he lives with his wife Maria and son.
Recent Fight History
- 2007-11-06 : Contender Arena, Boston, United States: Sam Soliman beat Wayne JohnsenWayne JohnsenWayne Johnsen is a professional American boxer. Born and raised in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, Johnsen is a carpenter and the engaged father of one child....
by unanimous decision (bronze medal winner of the Contender Season 3) round 6 of 6. - 2007 : Contender Arena, Soliman loses in a rematch to Sakio BikaSakio BikaSakio "The Scorpion" Bika , is a professional boxer in the super middleweight division. He is the former IBO super middleweight world champion.-Amateur career:...
in a 8 round decision - 2007-09-18 : Contender Arena, Los Angeles, California, United States : Sam Soliman beat Max AlexanderMax Alexander (boxer)Max Alexander is an American boxer.-Professional career:Alexander began his professional career in 2004. Whilst he was undefeated, he would have lost a bout to Marty Lindquist in 2006 via a 1st round KO, however the bout was later declared a no contest because Lindquist failed a drug test...
by Unanimous Decision in round 5 of 5 - 2007-03-07 : Entertainment Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia : Anthony MundineAnthony MundineAnthony Mundine is an Australian professional boxer and former rugby league footballer.He is the current interim WBA Light Middleweight Champion boxer, former two-time WBA Super Middleweight Champion, former IBO Middleweight Champion and New South Wales State of Origin representative footballer....
beat Sam Soliman by KO in round 9 of 12 - 2006-11-17 : Soboba Casino, San Jacinto, CA, USA : Sam Soliman beat Enrique OrnelasEnrique OrnelasEnrique Andrade Ornelas , is a Mexican boxer. He competes in the Middleweight division.-Personal life:Born in Jesus Del Monte, Guanajuato, he now makes his home in La Habra, California...
by Majority Decision in round 10 of 10 - 2005-12-10 : Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, Connecticut, US : Winky WrightWinky WrightRonald Lamont "Winky" Wright is an American boxer, the former undisputed world light middleweight champion and a current middleweight contender....
beat Sam Soliman by Unanimous Decision in round 14 of 15.