WHO IS ZSOLT BEDAK?
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 06 Mar 2016
The next opponent of World Boxing Organization world superbantamweight champion Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire, Jr. is Hungarian challenger Zsolt Bedak. He was rated No. 4 contender by the WBO and is set to face Donaire on April 23, 2016 at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Bedak was born on September 26, 1983 in Budapest, Hungary. He was also rated No. 13 contender by the WBA. His younger brother Pal Bedak is also a boxer fighting in the flyweight division and is undefeated in 8 pro fights with 5 KO's.
In 2001, Bedak won the bronze medal at the European Junior Championships in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina. He became a member of the Hungarian Olympic Team in 2004 in Athens, Greece fighting in the bantamweight division. He gained a slot for the 2004 Olympics by topping the 1st AIBA European 2004 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
In Athens, he defeated Abner Mares of Mexico, 36-27 in the Round of 32. But he lost to Maksym Tretyak of Ukraine, 24-27 in the Round of 16. In 2005, he competed for Romania at the Boxing World Cup in Moscow, Russia. He lost his first match against Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba, 28-11 but won over Worapoj Petchkoom of Thailand in his second preliminary bout. In 2006 he won the bronze medal at the 2006 European Amateur Boxing Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
He garnered the gold medal in the 2006 European Union Amateur Boxing Championships in Pecs, Hungary. He got also the silver medal in the 2004 European Union Amateur Boxing Championships in Madrid, Spain.
He turned pro in 2006 and signed a contract to fight for Hamburg based Universum Box-Promotion. In his professional debut he won by TKO over Peter Balaz of Slovakia. In his 13th fight, he won the WBO European super bantamweight title over Franklin Teran of Spain by unanimous decision.
He later annexed the WBO intercontinental super bantamweight title by 2nd round TKO over Yersin Zhailauov of Kazakhstan. In May 2010, he fought Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr. of Puerto Rico in Bayamon for the WBO world superbantamweight title but lost by TKO in the 10th round in his only professional loss.
His last fight was a unanimous division win over Nick Otieno of Kenya last September. His pro record now stands at 25-1 with 8 wins by KO's for a 31% KO rate. His nickname is Mr. Lefthook and is now 32 years old.
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