Juho Haapoja


Juho Haapoja is a Finnish former professional boxer who competed from 2006 to 2017, and held the European Union cruiserweight title twice between 2011 and 2017.

Professional career

Haapoja made his professional debut on 8 April 2006, losing a four-round points decision to Remigijus Ziausys, who also debuted. A ten-round split draw against Jari Markkanen on 16 March 2007 denied Haapoja a chance to win the Finnish heavyweight title. He lost for a second time to Denis Bakhtov on 22 May 2008, which was for a WBC and PABA regional heavyweight title. On 28 November 2008, Haapoja stopped Sami Elovaara in nine rounds to become the Finnish heavyweight champion, winning the vacant title in his second attempt. A defence of this title against Jarno Rosberg, which went the ten-round distance, was later relegated to a no contest after Rosberg was caught for steroids.
On 23 September 2011, Haapoja won his first major regional title by defeating Faisal Ibnel Arrami via unanimous decision to become the European Union cruiserweight champion. He made two successful defences against Ian Tims on 21 January 2012 and Francesco Versaci on 15 September 2012, but lost the title to Mateusz Masternak on 15 December 2012. Consecutive losses came against Silvio Branco on 6 July 2013 and Rakhim Chakhkiyev on 15 March 2014, both times for the vacant WBC Silver cruiserweight title.
Haapoja suffered his sixth professional loss on 31 January 2015, when he was stopped in two rounds by Serhiy Demchenko. In a rematch against Demchenko on 23 May, the fight ended in a ten-round split draw. Haapoja won his second European Union cruiserweight title on 25 March 2017, scoring a UD over Damian Bruzzese. His first defence, on 21 October, was unsuccessful: after losing an SD to Alexandru Jur, Haapoja promptly announced his retirement from boxing.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
39Loss28–8–2 Alexandru JurSD1221 Oct 2017PowerPark, Kauhava, FinlandLost European Union cruiserweight title
38Win28–7–2 Damian BruzzeseUD1225 Mar 2017Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, FinlandWon vacant European Union cruiserweight title
37Win27–7–2 Tamas LodiUD1017 Sep 2016Seinäjoki Areena, Seinäjoki, Finland
36Loss26–7–2 Tamas LodiKO3, 1:042 Apr 2016Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
35Win26–6–2 Miguel VelozoKO7, 2:4819 Dec 2015Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
34Draw25–6–2 Serhiy DemchenkoSD1023 May 2015PowerPark, Kauhava, Finland
33Win25–6–1 Jevgēņijs AndrejevsUD611 Apr 2015Tervahalli, Kemi, Finland
32Loss24–6–1 Serhiy DemchenkoTKO2, 2:1031 Jan 2015PowerPark, Kauhava, Finland
31Win24–5–1 Attila PalkoTKO1, 2:3520 Sep 2014Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
30Win23–5–1 Jevgēņijs AndrejevsUD616 Aug 2014Olavinlinna, Savonlinna, Finland
29Win22–5–1 Frank WhiteTKO5, 2:507 Jun 2014PowerPark, Kauhava, Finland
28Win21–5–1 Łukasz RusiewiczUD617 May 2014Salohalli, Salo, Finland
27Loss20–5–1 Rakhim ChakhkiyevTKO9, 0:2615 Mar 2014Dynamo Sports Palace, Moscow, RussiaFor vacant WBC Silver cruiserweight title
26Loss20–4–1 Silvio Branco10 6 Jul 2013Stadio Tommaso Fattori, Civitavecchia, ItalyFor vacant WBC Silver cruiserweight title;
Unanimous TD after Branco was cut from an accidental head clash
25Win20–3–1 Michele De MeoTKO1, 2:3420 Apr 2013Pyynikin palloiluhalli, Tampere, Finland
24Win19–3–1 Levan JomardashviliRTD5, 2:449 Mar 2013Barona Areena, Espoo, Finland
23Loss18–3–1 Mateusz MasternakUD1215 Dec 2012Nuremberg Arena, Nuremberg, GermanyFor vacant European heavyweight title
22Win18–2–1 Francesco VersaciRTD4, 0:0115 Sep 2012Seinäjoki Areena, Seinäjoki, FinlandRetained European Union heavyweight title
21Win17–2–1 Ian TimsUD1221 Jan 2012Seinäjoki Areena, Seinäjoki, FinlandRetained European Union heavyweight title
20Win16–2–1 Faisal Ibnel ArramiUD1223 Sep 2011Ice Hall, Helsinki, FinlandWon vacant European Union heavyweight title
19Win15–2–1 Roman KracikUD1021 May 2011Seinäjoki Areena, Seinäjoki, Finland
18Win14–2–1 Mantas TarvydasTKO4, 2:244 Mar 2011Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
17Win13–2–1 Zoltan CzekusTKO2, 1:2813 Nov 2010Seinäjoki Areena, Seinäjoki, Finland
16Win12–2–1 Antonio Pedro QuigangaTKO4, 0:3929 May 2010Anssin Jussin Areena, Ylihärmä, Finland
15Win11–2–1 Pāvels DolgovsUD620 Mar 2010Liikunta-kulttuuritalo, Juuka, Finland
1410–2–1 Jarno RosbergSD1027 Nov 2009Pyynikin palloiluhalli, Tampere, FinlandFinnish heavyweight title at stake;
Originally an SD win for Rosberg, later ruled an NC after he failed a drug test
13Win10–2–1Humberto EvoraSD622 Aug 2009The Circus, Helsinki, Finland
12Win9–2–1Stanislav Lukyanchikov3, 3:0014 Mar 2009Urheiluhalli, Kemi, Finland
11Win8–2–1Valeri SemiskurTKO2, 1:4021 Feb 2009Rewell Center, Vaasa, FinlandRetained Baltic Boxing Union heavyweight title
10Win7–2–1Sami ElovaaraTKO9 28 Nov 2008Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, FinlandWon vacant Finnish heavyweight title
9Win6–2–1Jevgēņijs StamburskisTKO1, 2:5430 Aug 2008Metroauto-areena, Tampere, Finland
8Loss5–2–1Denis Bakhtov10, 1:5922 May 2008Yubileyny Sports Palace, Saint Petersburg, RussiaFor WBC Asian interim and vacant PABA heavyweight titles
7Win5–1–1Daniil Peretyatko85 Apr 2008Maapohjahalli, Vaasa, FinlandWon Baltic Boxing Union heavyweight title
6Win4–1–1Yuri LunevTKO3, 1:282 Nov 2007Anssin Jussin Areena, Ylihärmä, Finland
5Win3–1–1Oleg AgafonovTKO1, 1:3715 Sep 2007Maapohjahalli, Vaasa, Finland
4Draw2–1–1Jari Markkanen1016 Mar 2007Kuopio, FinlandFor Finnish heavyweight title
3Win2–1Sergey Bakin4, 1:421 Dec 2006Urheiluhalli, Vaasa, Finland
2Win1–1Pavel Baryshnikov423 Sep 2006Kylpylä, Ylihärmä, Finland
1Loss0–1Remigijus Žiaušys48 Apr 2006Ravintola Umpitunneli, Tornio, Finland