Mihai Leu

Mihai Leu (13 February 1968^[1] – 1 July 2025), also known as Michael Löwe, was a Romanian professional boxer who competed between 1991 and 1997. He held the WBO welterweight title in 1997.

Mihai Leu
Leu in 2014
Born	(1968-02-13)13 February 1968 Hunedoara, Romania
Died	1 July 2025(2025-07-01) (aged 57) Bucharest, Romania
Nationality	Romanian
Other names	Michael Löwe Lion
Statistics
Weight(s)	Welterweight
Height	5 ft 7+1⁄2 in (171 cm)
Reach	64 in (163 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	28
Wins	28
Wins by KO	10
Medal record Men's Amateur boxing Representing  Romania World Junior Championships 1987 Havana Light welterweight

Leu retired after one title defense, against Michael Carruth, becoming the third European boxer to retire as an undefeated world champion, after Jack McAuliffe and Terry Marsh. Due to an injury, he was forced to abandon boxing but unwilling to give up the world of sports, he turned to be a rally driver. He later became a national rally champion.

Amateur highlights

Leu started boxing in 1977 at the Hunedoara Constructorul club. In 1981, he moved to the Hunedoara Metalul from where in 1982 he moved on to Dinamo Bucharest. During his time with Dinamo, he won the national championship four consecutive years: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986. In 1986, he moved to Steaua Bucharest and also became part of the national team.

In 1987, he became World Junior Champion.

In total he fought 200 amateur matches, out of which he won 190.

Professional career

In 1991, Leu became a professional boxer in Germany (using the name Michael Löwe (de:Michael Löwe (Boxer)). He would go on to win the vacant WBO welterweight title in 1997 by defeating Santiago Samaniego.^[2] He would defend the title once against Irish challenger Michael Carruth,^[3] before retiring in 1998.

Rally career

Leu at the 2007 Romanian Rally Championship

In 1998 Leu started his new career at the wheel of a Ford Ka and after only three years, he managed to become Romania's rally vice-champion. He had already participated in rallying before, having made his debut in 1994, at the Banat Rally, in a Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Five years later, in 2003, he became Romania's national champion driving a Hyundai Accent WRC, with co-driver Ciprian Solomon. After failing to win another race after his championship winning year, Mihai Leu gave up competitive rallying in 2008, only to return in 2010, as team-manager of Jack Daniel's Rally Team, in the Romanian National Rally Championship (CNR).

Personal life, illness and death

Leu was the son of Nicolae Leu, a well-known Romanian rally driver of the 1970s and 1980s. His brother, Victor, also made his debut in car racing in 1999, as his co-driver.^{[citation needed]}

Leu was married and the couple had one child.^{[citation needed]}

Leu was involved in politics along with the Partidul Conservator, despite failing to secure a place in the European Parliament, in the 2007 national elections. He worked part-time as assistant at the Tibiscus University in Timișoara.^{[citation needed]}

In 2014, Leu had colon cancer and received surgery in Bucharest and treatment in Vienna.^{[citation needed]}

Leu died aged 57, in Bucharest on 1 July 2025, following a long illness.^[4]

Professional boxing record

28 fights	28 wins	0 losses
By knockout	10	0
By decision	18	0

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
28	Win	28–0	Michael Carruth	MD	12	20 September 1997	Tivoli Eissporthalle, Aachen, Germany	Retained WBO welterweight title
27	Win	27–0	Santiago Samaniego	UD	12	22 February 1997	Alsterdorfer Sporthalle Hamburg, Germany	Won vacant WBO welterweight title
26	Win	26–0	Eric Jakubowski	TKO	5 (10)	16 November 1996	Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
25	Win	25–0	Jorge Ramirez	PTS	8	19 October 1996	Zoo-Gesellschaftshaus, Frankfurt, Germany
24	Win	24–0	Dwayne Swift	KO	4 (10)	8 June 1996	Deutz Sporthalle, Cologne, Germany
23	Win	23–0	Freddy Demeulenaere	PTS	8	4 May 1996	Sport und Erholungszentrum, Berlin, Germany
22	Win	22–0	Jose Brand	PTS	8	14 April 1996	Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
21	Win	21–0	Miguel Ángel Peña	PTS	8	10 June 1995	Europahalle, Karlsruhe, Germany
20	Win	20–0	Craig Houk	TKO	11 (12), 2:24	1 April 1995	Saaltheater Geulen, Aachen, Germany	Won vacant WBO Inter-Continental welterweight title
19	Win	19–0	Bobby Butters	UD	8	28 January 1995	Sporthalle, Berlin, Germany
18	Win	18–0	Harold Bennett	PTS	8	17 December 1994	Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
17	Win	17–0	Stefan Schramm	PTS	10	3 December 1994	Atelier Bruno Bruni, Hamburg, Germany	Won vacant German International welterweight title
16	Win	16–0	Benjamin Felix	TKO	2 (?)	13 November 1994	Universum Gym, Hamburg, Germany
15	Win	15–0	Lloyd Ratalsky	TKO	4 (?)	22 October 1994	Hansehalle, Lübeck, Germany
14	Win	14–0	Attila Veres	PTS	8	3 September 1994	Domplatz, Wiener Neustadt, Austria
13	Win	13–0	Gejza Stipak	TKO	4 (?)	10 April 1994	Universum Gym, Hamburg, Germany
12	Win	12–0	Pave Turic	KO	2 (?)	19 March 1994	Lugner City, Vienna, Austria
11	Win	11–0	Antonio Daga	PTS	8	19 February 1994	Sportshalle, Hamburg, Germany
10	Win	10–0	Hector Omar Luque	PTS	6	5 February 1994	Deutschlandhalle, Berlin, Germany
9	Win	9–0	Nestor Jesus Gil	PTS	8	15 October 1993	Sporthalle, Berlin, Germany
8	Win	8–0	Marino Monteyne	PTS	6	2 October 1993	Barbarossa Halle, Kaiserslautern, Germany
7	Win	7–0	Farid Bennecer	TKO	4 (?)	11 September 1993	Tivoli Eissporthalle, Aachen, Germany
6	Win	6–0	Miroslav Strbak	KO	4 (?)	26 June 1993	Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
5	Win	5–0	Oscar Washington	PTS	6	22 May 1993	Tivoli Eissporthalle, Aachen, Germany
4	Win	4–0	Miroslav Strbak	PTS	6	3 April 1993	Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
3	Win	3–0	Wayne Green	PTS	4	13 February 1993	Sporthalle, Hamburg, Germany
2	Win	2–0	Jan Mazgut	KO	2 (?)	13 December 1991	Minden, Germany
1	Win	1–0	Gejza Stipak	PTS	6	16 September 1991	Legien Center, Berlin, Germany

See also

• List of world welterweight boxing champions
• List of undefeated world boxing champions