Brian Nielsen

Brian Nielsen is a Danish former professional boxer who made his debut on September 4, 1992, at the age of 27. During his career, Brian Nielsen fought a total of 67 times and won 64 bouts, 43 of which were victories via knockout. Nielsen suffered three losses, all of which were in non-title fights and by stoppage.

During his incredible winning streak, Nielsen held the IBO heavyweight title from 1996 to 1999, successfully defending it five times, including against Larry Holmes and Phil Jackson, the second-highest number of defenses behind Wladimir Klitschko's record of 18.

Nielsen's professional boxing career spanned more than 18 years, from 1992 to 2011, during which he proved to be a formidable heavyweight contender. He went on to win 48 more consecutive fights after his debut, which included 33 wins via stoppage.

Some of Nielsen's notable victories came over Hall-of-Famer Larry Holmes, Carlos De Leon, Jeremy Williams, Peter McNeeley, James Smith, Tony Tubbs, and Orlin Norris.

However, his first loss came against Dicky Ryan via 10th round TKO on June 18, 1999, which ended his 49-fight win streak. All of Nielsen's defeats came via stoppage.

Nielsen made a remarkable comeback in 2010, returning to the ring after an eight-year absence. The Danish boxer announced that he was prepared to return to the ring, and a proposed fight against Evander Holyfield had been met with interest from both sides. Despite originally being considered unrealistic by former promoter Mogens Palle, Nielsen's comeback was confirmed by Nielsen's promoter Sauerland Event on June 1, 2010.

Nielsen met Holyfield on May 7, 2011, in a World Boxing Federation (WBF) title bout in Copenhagen. Holyfield won the fight, knocking Nielsen down in the third with a left hook and stopping him by TKO in the 10th. This was Nielsen's last professional fight.

Brian Nielsen's professional boxing record boasts an impressive 64 wins and 3 losses, including 43 knockout wins, and three losses via knockout. Although he never held a world title from any of the main four sanctioning bodies (WBC, IBF, WBA, WBO), he did defeat several former world champions who had, including Orlin Norris, Carlos De León, Jeff Lampkin, and Tony Tubbs.

The Danish boxer's height and reach enabled him to become a formidable heavyweight contender. At 1.91 meters (6 feet 3 inches) tall, with a reach of 196 cm (77 inches), Nielsen's physical attributes were notable in the world of boxing.

Nielsen's career was riddled with controversy, including accusations of match-fixing. In early 2004, journeyman heavyweight Thomas Williams stated that he had been bribed to throw his fight against Nielsen in March 2000. Along with promoter Robert Mitchell, Williams was indicted by the United States District Court for the District of Nevada for match-fixing to promote the career of Richie Melito. During the FBI's investigation of that case, Williams admitted to intentionally losing to Nielsen. The fix was arranged by promoter Robert Mittleman, a frequent associate of Nielsen's promoter Mogens Palle. Mittleman subsequently confessed to being paid $1,000, while Williams received "up to $40,000" from Palle in a bid to lose the fight. Williams, Mitchell, and Mittleman were all found guilty of sports bribery by the court in November and December 2004.

Nielsen and Mogens Palle denied any knowledge of the match-fixing and were not found guilty of any wrongdoing by American or Danish authorities.

Brian Nielsen fought at the Olympic Games in 1992 in Barcelona, representing Denmark in the super heavyweight category. He attended the European Amateur Championships in 1991 in Gothenburg, where he fought as a super heavyweight and won.

Brian Nielsen's professional boxing career was undoubtedly that of an accomplished heavyweight contender. During his prime, he was considered a highly successful fighter, with a winning streak that equalled that of Rocky Marciano. While he never held a world championship belt from any of the four major boxing federations, his bouts against some of the best fighters of his era and his IBO heavyweight title, for a time at least, demonstrated his talent.

Brian Nielsen Fight Record