Edis Tatli


Edis Tatli is a Finnish professional boxer. He has held the European lightweight title twice between 2015 and 2018, and has challenged once for the WBA lightweight title in 2014.

Early life

Tatli is of Kosovar-Albanian descent and was born in Prizren, Yugoslavia, in present-day Kosovo. He moved to Finland at the age of four and was raised in Hämeenlinna. Having first trained in karate as a youth, at age fourteen he started boxing and won his first Finnish Amateur Championship title in 2004.

Professional career

Tatli turned professional in 2007. In December 2012 he won the vacant EBU-EU lightweight title against Paolo Gassani and in March 2013 Tatli beat Felix Lora for the WBA Inter-Continental lightweight title. He successfully defended the title against Mzonke Fana in December 2013 and against Antonio De Vitis in May 2014.
In July 2014 it was announced that Tatli will challenge Richard Abril for the WBA lightweight world champion title on September 20 in Helsinki. Tatli is the second Finnish boxer fighting for the World Championship title. Olli Mäki lost a featherweight championship match to Davey Moore in August 1962 at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. The fight between Abril and Tatli is promoted by Olli's son Pekka Mäki of P3 Boxing Oy. He lost the fight by majority decision
He was supposed to fight the EBU lightweight champion Emiliano Marsili on 25 April. Marsili got injured and vacated the belt. Tatli fought Yvan Mendy instead for the EBU lightweight title, and won the fight by unanimous decision.
Edis Tatli was scheduled to face two time lightweight challenger Kevin Mitchell on 18 March 2016 in Finland, but on 10 February, Mitchell announced his retirement and withdrawal from the fight. Tatli instead faced Massimiliano Ballisai and won the fight by unanimous decision.
On 13 August 2016, Tatli defended his European title against Christian Morales by unanimous decision.
On 6 May, 2017, Tatli was slated to defend his EBU lightweight belt against the highlty rated Francesco Patera in his native Finland. The bout would start slow, with both boxers coming up to speed as the fight progressed. Patera was the busier man, but Tatli scored the powershots. The fight was ruled a split-decision win for Patera, with the judges scoring the fight 112-116, 113-115 and 116-112 for Patera.
In the immediate rematch, the fight was fast and entertaining from the beginning. Both fighters traded throughout the fight, with Tatli being the one whose shots visibly affected his opponent. Tatli was aggressive for most of the time, and even though he didn't manage to score a knockdown, all judges scored the fight 119-109 for the Finn, allowing him to retain the EBU lightweight title.
On 20 April, 2019, Tatli fought rising prospect Teofimo Lopez, who was ranked #4 by the WBA, WBC and IBF and #5 by the WBO at lightweight. As many expected, Lopez ended the fight inside the distance with a vicious body shot in the fifth round, from which Tatli could not get up.

Other appearances

In Autumn 2018, Tatli won Dancing with the Stars, the Finnish version of the dance contest Strictly Come Dancing.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
34Loss31–3 Teófimo LópezKO5, 1:3220 Apr 2019 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, USFor NABF lightweight title
33Win31–2 Frank UrquiagaUD1211 Aug 2018 Savonlinna, FinlandRetained European lightweight title
32Win30–2 Francesco PateraUD1212 Dec 2017 Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, FinlandWon European lightweight title
31Loss29–2 Francesco Patera127 May 2017 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, FinlandLost European lightweight title
30Win29–1 Manuel LanciaTKO9, 1:5717 Dec 2016 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, FinlandRetained European lightweight title
29Win28–1 Christian MoralesUD1213 Aug 2016 Olavinlinna, Savonlinna, FinlandRetained European lightweight title
28Win27–1 Massimiliano BallisaiUD1219 Mar 2016 Metro Areena, Espoo, FinlandRetained European lightweight title
27Win26–1 Ramaz BebnadzeTKO3, 2:5921 Nov 2015 Töölön Kisahalli, Helsinki, Finland
26Win25–1 Yvan MendyUD1225 Apr 2015 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, FinlandWon vacant European lightweight title
25Win24–1 Olegs VilcansTKO1, 0:4024 Jan 2015 Ringside Gym, Helsinki, Finland
24Loss23–1 Richar Abril1220 Sep 2014 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, FinlandFor WBA lightweight title
23Win23–0 Antonio De VitisTKO8, 0:019 May 2014 Urheilutalo, Helsinki, FinlandRetained WBA Inter-Continental lightweight title
22Win22–0 Mzonke FanaUD127 Dec 2013 Barona Areena, Espoo, FinlandRetained WBA Inter-Continental lightweight title
21Win21–0 Innocent AnyanwuKO5, 2:0017 Aug 2013 Olavinlinna, Savonlinna, Finland
20Win20–0 Felix LoraUD129 Mar 2013 Barona Areena, Espoo, FinlandWon WBA Inter-Continental lightweight title
19Win19–0 Paolo GassaniTKO1, 1:268 Dec 2012 Ringside Gym, Espoo, FinlandWon vacant European Union lightweight title
18Win18–0 Sherzodbek MamadjanovUD831 May 2012 Ufa Arena, Ufa, Russia
17Win17–0 Sarfo TysonTKO1, 1:3531 Mar 2012 Barona Areena, Espoo, Finland
16Win16–0 Pasquale di SilvioUD103 Dec 2011 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
15Win15–0 John NolascoUD87 May 2011 Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland
14Win14–0 Stuart GreenUD84 Mar 2011 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
13Win13–0 Asan Yuseinov6, 3:0027 Nov 2010 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
12Win12–0 Ruddy EncarnacionUD84 Sep 2010 Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland
11Win11–0 Damien MartinUD626 Mar 2010 Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland
10Win10–0 Nikolajs Jasenko1, 0:4012 Dec 2009 Aladdin Bar & Night Club, Espoo, Finland
9Win9–0 Alex BoneUD624 Oct 2009 Urheilutalo, Helsinki, Finland
8Win8–0 Walberto Gaxiola1, 2:4818 Apr 2009 Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland
7Win7–0 Sento MartinezUD614 Feb 2009 Pyynikin Palloiluhalli, Tampere, Finland
6Win6–0 Juan ZapataUD628 Nov 2008 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland
5Win5–0 Idiozan MatosUD630 Aug 2008 Metroauto-areena, Tampere, Finland
4Win4–0 Leonti VorontsukUD414 Jun 2008 Kamppailuopisto, Espoo, Finland
3Win3–0 Alexander SaltykovUD418 Apr 2008 Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland
2Win2–0 Juris IvanovsUD41 Feb 2008 Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland
1Win1–0 Mohammed Ali Cherif422 Oct 2007 Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland