Leonard Bundu Explained

Leonard Bundu (born 21 November 1974) is a Sierra Leone-born Italian former professional boxer who competed from 2005 to 2016. He held multiple regional welterweight championships, including the European title twice between 2011 and 2016; the European Union title from 2009 to 2010; the Commonwealth title in 2014; and challenged once for the WBA interim welterweight title in 2014. As an amateur, Bundu won a gold medal in the light-welterweight division at the 1997 Mediterranean Games; welterweight bronze at the 1999 World Championships; and represented Italy at the 2000 Olympics, where he reached the second round of the welterweight bracket.

Amateur career

Bundu won his first major amateur medal at the 1997 Mediterranean Games in Bari, winning gold in the light-welterweight division. This was followed up with bronze at the 1999 World Championships in Houston. At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Bundu fought in the welterweight division, losing to Daniyar Munaytbasov in the second round. Bundu also represented his native Sierra Leone at the 2nd AIBA African 2004 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Gaborone, where he won bronze in welterweight division.^[1]

Professional career

On 1 April 2005, Bundu won in his professional debut with a first-round knockout against Peter Gaspar. He would spend the next nine years fighting almost exclusively in his adoptive Italy, save for one outing in Germany. During this time Bundu would pick up many regional championships, including the vacant European Union welterweight title on 13 March 2009, in a unanimous decision (UD) over Frank Haroche Horta.^[2]

Bundu vs. Petrucci

This was bettered on 4 November 2011, when Bundu won the full European welterweight title in a rematch against Daniele Petrucci;^[3] their first fight for the vacant title, on 25 June 2011, ended in an eighth-round majority technical draw.

Bundu vs. Gavin

Bundu defended his European title six times, as well as winning the Commonwealth title against undefeated contender and decorated amateur Frankie Gavin. In their fight, on 1 August 2014, Bundu scored a surprise sixth-round knockdown with a hard body shot, and would go on to win by split decision.

Bundu vs. Thurman

Later in the year, on 13 December, Bundu challenged unsuccessfully for his first major world championship in his first visit to the United States. Defending WBA interim titlist Keith Thurman, also an undefeated prospect at the time, knocked Bundu down in the first round, but Bundu showed his durability by going the full twelve-round distance with the feared puncher. In doing so, Bundu suffered his first professional loss via UD.^[4]

Bundu vs. Koivula

On 22 April 2016, Bundu won the vacant European welterweight title for a second time by stopping Jussi Koivula in nine rounds.^[5]

Bundu vs. Spence Jr

Later that year, on 21 August, Bundu travelled to the US for a third time to face Errol Spence Jr., another undefeated prospect, in what was an eliminator for the IBF welterweight title. The first three rounds were fast-paced and competitive, with Bundu utilising his pressure fighting style and feints, although his punch output would slow in the fourth as Spence began using consistent combinations and lateral movement. In round six, Bundu was floored by a hard uppercut, but this was incorrectly deemed a push by the referee. Seconds later, Spence landed an uppercut–hook combination which left Bundu slumped on the canvas unconscious, in his first knockout loss.^[6] He was also stripped of his European welterweight title.^[7]

Professional boxing record

	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
37	Loss	33–2–2	Errol Spence Jr.	KO	6 (12),	21 Aug 2016
36	Win	33–1–2	Jussi Koivula	TKO	9 (12),	22 Apr 2016
35	Win	32–1–2	Pablo Munguia	UD	8	26 Jun 2015
34	Loss	31–1–2	Keith Thurman	UD	12	13 Dec 2014
33	Win	31–0–2	Frankie Gavin		12	1 Aug 2014
32	Win	30–0–2	Lee Purdy	TKO	12 (12),	14 Dec 2013
31	Win	29–0–2	Rafał Jackiewicz	KO	11 (12)	6 Apr 2013
30	Win	28–0–2	Ismael El Massoudi	KO	1 (12),	1 Dec 2012
29	Win	27–0–2	Stefano Castellucci	TD	5 (12),	14 Jul 2012
28	Win	26–0–2	Antonio Moscatiello	KO	5 (12),	23 Mar 2012
27	Win	25–0–2	Daniele Petrucci	UD	12	4 Nov 2011
26	Draw	24–0–2	Daniele Petrucci	TD	8 (12)	25 Jun 2011
25	Win	24–0–1	Zoran Cvek	PTS	6	25 Feb 2011
24	Win	23–0–1	Moises Castro	KO	1 (6)	26 Nov 2010
23	Win	22–0–1	Ronny McField	TD	6 (6)	21 May 2010
22	Win	21–0–1	Carlos Adán Jerez	TD	5 (12)	19 Mar 2010
21	Win	20–0–1	Ronny McField	TD	7 (8)	18 Dec 2009
20	Win	19–0–1	Frank Shabani	UD	12	27 Jun 2009
19	Win	18–0–1	Frank Haroche Horta	UD	12	13 Mar 2009
18	Win	17–0–1	Johannes Fabrizius	PTS	6	21 Nov 2008
17	Win	16–0–1	Laszlo Komjathi	TKO	5 (6)	24 Oct 2008
16	Win	15–0–1	Patrik Hruska	PTS	6	28 Aug 2008
15	Win	14–0–1	Giammario Grassellini	TKO	1 (10)	4 Mar 2008
14	Win	13–0–1	Gheorghe Danut	PTS	8	12 Dec 2007
13	Win	12–0–1	Vincenzo Finzi	TKO	1 (12),	24 Aug 2007
12	Draw	11–0–1	Luciano Abis		3 (10),	15 Jun 2007
11	Win	11–0	Karim Netchaoui		11 (12)	2 Mar 2007
10	Win	10–0	Volodymyr Borovskyy	PTS	8	21 Oct 2006
9	Win	9–0	Virgil Meleg	PTS	6	22 Sep 2006
8	Win	8–0	Attila Kiss	PTS	6	11 Aug 2006
7	Win	7–0	Vincenzo Finzi	PTS	6	12 May 2006
6	Win	6–0	Mugurel Sebe		8	3 Apr 2006
5	Win	5–0	Mārtiņš Kukulis	PTS	6	10 Feb 2006
4	Win	4–0	Brett James		6	7 Aug 2005
3	Win	3–0	Antonio Taglialatela		3 (6)	5 Jun 2005
2	Win	2–0	Ferenc Olah	KO	1 (6)	16 Apr 2005
1	Win	1–0	Peter Gaspar		1 (6),	1 Apr 2005

External links

• • Leonard Bundu - Profile, News Archive & Current Rankings at Box.Live

Notes and References

1. Web site: Sport & Note . 2022-03-03 . www.sportenote.com.
2. Crociati, Enrico (14 March 2009). "Bundu outpoints Haroche Horta!" . Fightnews. Freitag Marketing Services. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
3. Ayala, Edwin (6 November 2011). "Battle of Unbeaten Paisans Goes Route for Euro Title". ringtalk.com. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
4. Rosenthal, Michael (13 December 2014). "Keith Thurman easily outpoints Leonard Bundu". The Ring. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
5. Persson, Per Ake (23 April 2016). "Leonard Bundu Stops Jussi Koivula, Captures EBU Title". BoxingScene. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
6. Gerbasi, Thomas (21 August 2016). "Errol Spence Knocks Bundu Out Cold in Six, in Line For Brook". BoxingScene. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
7. Persson, Per Ake (30 August 2016). "Malignaggi vs. El Mousaoui in Line For EBU Clash, Bundu Stripped". BoxingScene. Retrieved 30 August 2016.