# Mark de Mori > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mark_de_Mori > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mark_de_Mori.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_de_Mori > Source revision: 1353933671 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Australian boxer (born 1982) Mark de Mori Personal information Nickname The Viking Nationality Australian Born (1982-02-11) 11 February 1982 (age 44) Perth, Western Australia, Australia Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Weight Heavyweight Boxing career Stance Orthodox Boxing record Total fights 51 Wins 45 Win by KO 40 Losses 4 Draws 2 **Mark de Mori** (born 11 February 1982) is an Australian [professional boxer](/source/Professional_boxer). ## Early life and amateur career De Mori grew up in the suburbs of [Perth](/source/Perth). He was supposedly [deaf](/source/Hearing_loss) until the age of four and suffered chronic [asthma](/source/Asthma) attacks throughout his childhood and early teenage years. Whilst recovering, he became increasingly drawn to boxing and taught himself to box by watching videos and attempting to recreate the moves. De Mori took part in 11 fights during his time as an amateur, winning all.[1] ## Professional career De Mori turned professional at the age of 22. He knocked out five of his first six opponents before taking an 18-month break from the sport.[1] In 2007, De Mori signed a three-year deal with prominent boxing promoter [Don King](/source/Don_King_(boxing_promoter)). King cited "youth and exciting style" as the reason he put faith in De Mori, as he slowly worked his way up the ranks. One year into his deal with King, De Mori scored an eight-round win by unanimous decision over Ed Mahone in [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand). Mahone had been the favourite heading into the fight but was worn down by De Mori's 'jab and move' approach.[1] In 2009, De Mori won a further two fights in the US, both by knockout as a result of body blows, ranking him the number 17 heavyweight in the world by the [World Boxing Council](/source/World_Boxing_Council) (WBC) and further increasing global interest in his potential as a heavyweight contender. De Mori won the [World Boxing Union](/source/World_Boxing_Union) (WBU) title in May 2013 with a [corner retirement](/source/Corner_retirement) win over Adnan Buharalija,[2] and the [World Boxing Federation](/source/World_Boxing_Federation) (WBF) title in November 2013 with a unanimous decision win over Ivica Perkovic. Promoter Anthony Coleiro stated "He is the first Australian heavyweight to win two world titles; this is history".[3][4] In 2014, De Mori scored an incredible first-round TKO victory over Bosnian Zeljko Bojic.[5] In 2015, in [Niedersachsen](/source/Lower_Saxony), [Germany](/source/Germany), he stopped German [Marcel Zeller](/source/Marcel_Zeller) in less than a round.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] De Mori has been ranked as high as #7 in the world with the [World Boxing Association](/source/World_Boxing_Association) (WBA) and #15 with the WBC.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ### De Mori vs. Haye On 24 November 2015, it was announced at a press conference that De Mori would be the comeback opponent of former [heavyweight champion](/source/List_of_heavyweight_boxing_champions) [David Haye](/source/David_Haye). The bout took place on 16 January 2016 at [The O2 Arena](/source/The_O2_Arena) in [London](/source/London) and was promoted by Salter Brothers Entertainment.[6] De Mori hinted prior to the bout that he would try to exploit Haye's weakness of having six pins in his right shoulder.[7] De Mori looked bothered by the first jab Haye threw and thereafter it was one-way traffic. Haye, set up the finish with huge overhand right and De Mori was unconscious before he hit the canvas with 49 seconds left in the round.[8] De Mori was ranked 10th by the WBA before his defeat to Haye.[9] ### Split with King In 2015, De Mori was given an early release from his contract with [Don King](/source/Don_King) and "a lump of cash" after Canadian [Bermane Stiverne](/source/Bermane_Stiverne), another client of King's, failed to retain the WBC heavyweight title. King reportedly had De Mori as the next challenger for Stiverne prior to his defeat to [Deontay Wilder](/source/Deontay_Wilder) in January 2015, and according to De Mori this was the reason for his contract release.[7] ### De Mori vs. Hrgović On 23 December 2023, a 41-year-old De Mori challenged 31-year-old Croatian boxer [Filip Hrgović](/source/Filip_Hrgovi%C4%87) (16–0, 13 KOs) to a ten-round bout. The fight took place at the [Kingdom Arena](/source/Kingdom_Arena) in [Riyadh](/source/Riyadh), [Saudi Arabia](/source/Saudi_Arabia) on the undercard of [Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin](/source/Anthony_Joshua_vs._Otto_Wallin). Within a minute of the first bell, De Mori had hit the canvas. Two minutes into the bout, the referee called a stop to the contest after Hrgović scored repeated punches to the back of De Mori's head as he turned away from his opponent, and the referee stopped the contest.[10] ## Fighting style De Mori has occasionally been accused of adopting an 'arrogant' style in the ring, as he tends to keep his fists low, rather than in front of his face. The stance is similar to that of famous American boxers from De Mori's childhood that he attempts to replicate. The stance, which has proven successful, has angered previous opponents.[1] ## Personal life Although lessened, De Mori's asthma remains. He has said that his private gym, the Odjebi training centre in [Split](/source/Split%2C_Croatia), "has a good climate and is really good for my asthma".[7] De Mori lived in Croatia for 10 years, before returning back to [Perth, Western Australia](/source/Perth) in January 2023.[7] ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_1-3) ["Who is Mark De Mori? David Haye's comeback opponent profiled"](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxing/who-mark-de-mori-david-6888910). *mirror*. Trinity Mirror plc. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Foreman, Glen (18 May 2013). ["Perth's Mark De Mori snares WBU title with win over Adnan Buharalija"](https://www.news.com.au/sport/boxing/perths-mark-de-mori-snares-wbu-title-with-win-over-adnan-buharalija/news-story/846f2ee337823324f4846f5eee1d187a). *[news.com.au](/source/News.com.au)*. Retrieved 11 May 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Jjones (18 November 2013). ["Smiles all round as De Mori comes out on top in slugfest"](https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/gladstone/sport/smiles-all-round-as-de-mori-comes-out-on-top-in-slugfest/news-story/73d068a501ce668e2a1e61ba36adb0e0). *[The Courier-Mail](/source/The_Courier-Mail)*. Retrieved 11 May 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Mark de Mori wins the WBF World Heavyweight Title"](https://www.worldboxingfoundation.com/news/mark-de-mori-wins-the-wbf-world-heavyweight-title). *www.worldboxingfoundation.com*. Retrieved 11 May 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["BoxRec - Mark de Mori v Zeljko Bojic"](http://boxrec.com/bout/1940352). *boxrec.com*. Retrieved 29 November 2015.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: url-status ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_url-status)) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** sport, Guardian (24 November 2015). ["David Haye confirms comeback against Mark de Mori at O2 Arena in January"](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/nov/24/david-haye-comeback-o2-arena-mark-de-mori). *the Guardian*. Retrieved 29 November 2015. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:1_7-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:1_7-3) ["De Mori planning to make hay ..."](https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/30214511/mark-de-mori-determined-to-make-most-of-big-chance/) *au.news.yahoo.com*. Retrieved 29 November 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["David Haye vs Mark de Mori - as it happened: Haye knocks out Australian in first round in heavyweight comeback"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/35336214.html). *Telegraph.co.uk*. 16 January 2016.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*] 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["World Boxing Association Ranking"](http://wbanews.com/?page_id=2513). *wbanews.com*. 22 December 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Donovan, Jake (23 December 2023). ["Filip Hrgovic Destroys Overmatched Mark De Mori in First Round"](https://www.boxingscene.com/filip-hrgovic-destroys-overmatched-mark-de-mori-first-round--180222). *BoxingScene.com*. Retrieved 31 May 2024. ## External links - [Official website](http://markdemori.com/) - [Boxing record for Mark de Mori](https://boxrec.com/en/boxer/237842) from [BoxRec](/source/BoxRec) (registration required) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mark de Mori](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_de_Mori) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_de_Mori?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.