Qamil Balla (born 10 August 1989) is an Australian professional boxer. OPBF welterweight 9th place. WBO Asia Pacific Welterweight 10th place. As an amateur, he competed at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.[2]

Qamil Balla
Born
Qamil Balla

(1989-08-10) 10 August 1989 (age 35)
Werribee, Victoria, Australia
NationalityAustralian
Other names"Golden Boy"
Statistics
Weight(s)Lightweight
Super lightweight
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Reach175 cm (69 in)
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record[1]
Total fights18
Wins15
Wins by KO6
Losses2
Draws1

Family background

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Qamil Balla was born in Werribee to an Albanian family that immigrated from Albania to Australia prior to his birth.[3] Certain members of his family are boxers. His father Nuri was a Victorian champion while his uncle Mitat (also his former coach) was an Australian champion. His younger brother Ibrahim has also won Australian titles and represented Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the bantamweight division.[4]

Qamil starting boxing as a youngster alongside his brother Ibrahim and, by the age of 12, both were competing in – and winning – junior tournaments.[5]

Amateur career

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As an amateur Balla competed in 70 bouts, with 62 wins. He won multiple Victorian and Australian titles, represented Australia internationally and finished top 30 in the world.

Balla was runner up in selection for the 2012 Summer Olympics in the light welterweight division but missed out to former WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn with Gealan Toulea finishing in third position. Qamil had beaten Horn early in his amateur career in Port Adelaide at the selection trials for the 2009 World Championships but lost in a rematch at the Arafura Games and then in the 64 kg category at the 2012 Olympic trials.[6]

Professional career

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Victoria State super lightweight champion

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Qamil won his first professional title on 25 July 2013 against Nawakon Kitee of Thailand at The Melbourne Pavilion Flemington, Qamil being declared the winner by UD.

Australian super lightweight champion

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On 12 September 2013 Qamil won his second professional title in his first 10 round bout against the tough Australian boxer Jack Brubaker at The Melbourne Pavilion Flemington. Qamil won by unanimous points decision with the judges cards reading 96-94, 98-92 and 97-93.[7]

On 25 June 2014 Qamil had his first title defence against fellow Melburnian and former Victorian Lightweight Champion Terry Tzouramanis. Qamil won the fight by unanimous points decision with the judge's cards reading 97-91, 98-90 and 99-89. Tzouramanis went down in round 3 and was deducted 1 pt in round 8 for excessive holding.

Interim WBA Oceania lightweight champion

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Qamil won his third professional title on 18 March 2017 against experienced Colombian Rodolfo Puente. Referee Ignatius Missailidis stopped the fight at 2:29 in the first round following the second knockdown, Qamil declared the winner by TKO.

Balla Vs Kambosos

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On 6 May 2017 Qamil experienced his first professional defeat against George Kambosos Jr. The bout was billed as the semi main event to the Joseph Parker Vs Razvan Cojanu, WBO World Heavyweight Title fight at New Zealand's Vodafone Events Centre, Manukau City.

The two Australians put on the fight of the night with Kambosos taking control early and winning by unanimous points decision.[8]

WBA Oceania super lightweight champion

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On 4 May 2019 Qamil started the year off with a solid TKO victory over experienced Indonesian Hero Tito for the vacant WBA Oceania Super lightweight title. The win was an impressive victory for Qamil after spending 14 months away from the ring due to a knuckle injury.[9]

Professional boxing record

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18 fights 15 wins 2 losses
By knockout 8 1
By decision 7 1
Draws 1
No Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
18 Loss 15–2–1   Jin Sasaki TKO 7/12 3 Sep 2024   Ariake Arena, Tokyo For WBO Asia Pacific and OPBF welterweight titles
17 Win 15–1–1   Atchariya Wirojanasunobol TKO 2/10 16 Jun 2023   The Melbourne Pavilion, Flemington
16 Win 14–1–1   Ronald Naidu RTD 1/6 5 Mar 2022   The Melbourne Pavilion, Flemington
15 Win 13–1–1   Hero Tito TKO 6/10 4 May 2019   Grand Star Receptions, Altona North Won vacant WBA Oceania super lightweight title
14 Win 12–1–1   Adam Diu Abdulhamid UD 10 11 Mar 2018   Grand Star Receptions, Altona North
13 Loss 11–1–1   George Kambosos Jr. UD 10 6 May 2017   Vodafone Events Centre, Manukau City
12 Win 11–0–1   Rodolfo Puente TKO 1/10 18 Mar 2017   Function Centre Melbourne Park, Melbourne Won interim WBA Oceania lightweight title
11 Win 10–0–1   Musa Letding KO 5/10 10 Dec 2016   Function Centre Melbourne Park, Melbourne
10 Win 9–0–1   Terdchai Doungmontree UD 8 13 Aug 2016   Function Centre Melbourne Park, Melbourne
9 Win 8–0–1   Ben Warburton UD 6 11 Nov 2015   Convention & Exhibition Centre, Melbourne
8 Win 7–0–1   Terry Tzouramanis UD 10 25 Jun 2014   The Melbourne Pavilion, Flemington Retained Australian super lightweight title
7 Win 6–0–1   Jack Brubaker UD 10 12 Sep 2013   The Melbourne Pavilion, Flemington Won vacant Australian super lightweight title
6 Win 5–0–1   Nawakon Kitee UD 8 25 Jul 2013   The Melbourne Pavilion, Flemington Won vacant Australia - Victoria State super lightweight title
5 Win 4–0–1   Jay Thompson TKO 1/6 28 Apr 2013   Convention & Exhibition Centre, Melbourne
4 Win 3–0–1   Rangson Poonsang UD 6 21 Feb 2013   The Melbourne Pavilion, Flemington
3 Win 2–0–1   Matt Bune TKO 2/4 07 Sep 2012   The Melbourne Pavilion, Flemington
2 Win 1–0–1   Justin Medoro TKO 2/4 13 Jul 2012   The Melbourne Pavilion, Flemington
1 Draw 0–0–1   Allan Jay Tuniacao D 4 18 May 2012   The Melbourne Pavilion, Flemington

References

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  1. ^ "Boxing record for Qamil Balla". BoxRec.
  2. ^ "Fists of fury: Maidana, Froch and Bradley are all winners among the seven greatest fights of 2013". CourierMail. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  3. ^ "Westsider Profiles: Ibrahim and Qamil Balla". The Westsider. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Quamil Balla". NBC Beijing 2008. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  5. ^ "Promising athletes given a sporting chance - National - theage.com.au". theage.com.au. February 2007. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  6. ^ "Horn conqueror's 'huge opportunity'". Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  7. ^ "QAMIL BALLA WINS SUPER-LIGHTWEIGHT CROWN". anbf.org. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  8. ^ "Aussie wrap-up for May - Boxing Monthly". Boxing Monthly. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  9. ^ "Qamil Balla bounces back from injury to take Oceania belt". Star Weekly. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
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