Newfel Ouatah (born November 8, 1985) is a French–Algerian professional boxer. As an amateur, he won a gold medal at the 2007 African Championships at super heavyweight, a silver medal at the 2007 All-African Games and fought at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Newfel Ouatah
Born (1985-11-08) 8 November 1985 (age 39)
Lyon, France
NationalityFrench
Statistics
Weight(s)Heavyweight
Height2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights24
Wins18
Wins by KO10
Losses5
Draws0
No contests1
Medal record
Men's Boxing
All-Africa Games
Representing  Algeria
Silver medal – second place 2007 Algiers Super Heavyweight
Mediterranean Games
Representing  France
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Almeíra Heavyweight

Amateur career

edit

Ouatah started boxing in 1998 after the World Cup in France, while all the other children were playing football, he prefer to start boxing in front of his block, at the Club Pugillistique Villeurbannais's Gym. He fought after two month of training his first educative fight and won it. Then he became 2000 French champion in the middleweight division (-75 kg). In 2001 he won the French Cadets (under 17) championship in the light heavyweight (-81 kg).

As a Heavyweight he won the 2002 and 2003 Junior (under 19) Nationals championships. He lost in the quarterfinals of the junior world championships when he lost to Robert Alfonso.

He became the 2005 (against Stéphane Gomis) and 2006 French champion at 201 lb by beating John M'Bumba twice time by knock out. He captured the bronze medal at the 2005 Mediterranean Games.

Then he asked the French federation to agree him to start boxing for his native country.

In 2007 he lost to M'Bumba, went up a division and started fighting for Algeria where he immediately won a silver medal at the All Africa games losing to Ahmed Samir Abdelhalim 8:17.

In 2008 he qualified for the Olympics by beating Stéphane Gomis of Sénegal and Moroccan Mohamed Amanissi 21:8 in a qualifier.

Even in April 2008 he fought his fourth fight against M'Bumba when the fight was amazingly stopped after 1:20 in the last round giving to M'Bumba a disputed winning decision.

In June 2008 he won the St Quentin's Pré Olympic tournament by winning the final against German Erik Pfeifer. He started his Olympic preparation with Jean Baptiste Mendy's coach, Houari Amri.

In the round of 16 he upset Jose Payares of Venezuela, in the quarter-final he was beaten by World Championship silver medallist Vyacheslav Glazkov of Ukraine 4:10.

At the Ahmert COMERT tournament in 2009 he took his revenge against former conqueror and 2007 PanAm and 2008 World Cup winner Robert Alfonso by KO in the second round (one-punch knockout).

Professional career

edit

He turned pro in 2009. His last fight was on September 9, 2022 with Simon Kean. This boxing fight happened in Montreal Casino, Montreal, Canada where the fight ended bizarrely, as Ouatah takes a knee in the first round in protest and Kean was gifted a 1st round TKO win.[1] Ouatah was punished with another loss on his record and his purse withheld, Ouatah later explained the reason of the in-ring protest was due to being refused insurance by the local French Boxing Federation.[2]

Professional boxing record

edit
24 fights 18 wins 5 losses
By knockout 10 5
By decision 8 0
No contests 1
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
24 Loss 18–5 (1)   Simon Kean TKO 1 (10), 0:11 9 Sep 2022   Montreal Casino, Montreal, Canada Ouatah takes a knee at the start of bout and refused to fight
23 Loss 18–4 (1)   Vladyslav Sirenko KO 4 (8), 0:50 12 Jun 2021   AKKO International, Kyiv, Ukraine
22 Win 18–3 (1)   Faisal Ibnel Arrami UD 10 15 Feb 2020   Gymnase le Bourg, Gex, France Retained French heavyweight title
21 Win 17–3 (1)   Cyril Leonet KO 6 (10) 12 Oct 2019   Palais des sports Marcel-Cerdan, Levallois-Perret, France Won vacant French heavyweight title
20 NC 16–3 (1)   Tamaz Zadishvili NC 3 (6) 12 Jul 2019   Rue des Echarneaux, Valux-en-Velin, France Both boxers DQ'd after the referee gave three warnings to both
19 Loss 16–3   Junior Fa TKO 1 (10), 2:51 2 Mar 2019   Voinovich Center, Columbus, Ohio, U.S. For WBO Oriental interim heavyweight title
18 Win 16–2   Tamaz Zadishvili TKO 3 (6) 22 Dec 2018   Palais des sports Jean Capievic, Vaulx-en-Velin, France
17 Loss 15–2   Johann Duhaupas RTD 8 (12), 3:00 14 Dec 2017   Palais des sports Marcel-Cerdan, Levallois-Perret, France For vacant WBA International heavyweight title
16 Win 15–1   Jakov Gospić UD 6 11 Nov 2017   Gymnase de I'espace, Gaillard, France
15 Win 14–1   Dmitrij Kalinovskij UD 6 16 Jan 2016   Gymnase Jacques Anquetil, Guvors, France
14 Win 13–1   Jean François Traoré UD 6 28 Nov 2015   Gymnase Jacques Anquetil, Givors, France
13 Loss 12–1   Erkan Teper RTD 6 (12), 3:00 13 Jun 2014   Bavaria Filmstadt, Munich, Germany For vacant European Union heavyweight title
12 Win 12–0   Grégory Tony KO 4 (10) 30 Jan 2014   Gymnase Louison Bobet, Rillieux-la-Pape Won vacant French heavyweight title
11 Win 11–0   Simone Loschi TKO 1 (6) 4 May 2013   Salle Raphael de Barros, Villeurbanne, France
10 Win 10–0   Mickaël Vieira TKO 4 (10) 5 Oct 2012   Gymnase Richardson, Le Pouzin, France Retained French heavyweight title
9 Win 9–0   Tomáš Mrázek UD 6 12 May 2012   Salle Malherbes, Grenoble, France
8 Win 8–0   Cyril Leonet UD 10 17 Dec 2011   Palais des sports Jean Capievic, Vaulx-en-Velin, France Retained French heavyweight title
7 Win 7–0   Cyril Leonet UD 10 20 Nov 2010   Palais des sports Marcel-Cerdan, Levallois-Perret, France Won vacant French heavyweight title
6 Win 6–0   Aleksandrs Selezens RTD 1 (6), 3:00 10 Jun 2010   Stadium P. Maisonniale, Saint-Étienne, France
5 Win 5–0   Cyril Leonet TKO 4 (6) 23 Apr 2010   Gymnase J. Roure, Les Pennes-Mirabeau, France
4 Win 4–0   Dmitrijs Basovs KO 1 (4) 26 Feb 2010   Salle COSEC, Feyzin, France
3 Win 3–0   Alban Galonnier PTS 4 7 Nov 2009   Gymnase, Usson-en-Forez, France
2 Win 2–0   Róbert Gregor TKO 1 (4) 25 Aug 2009   Espace 3000, Hyères, France
1 Win 1–0   Azzez Layachi TKO 1 (6) 30 Jul 2009   Salle Opow, Béjaïa, Algeria

Personal life

edit

Ouatah's the cousin of French football player Karim Benzema, Newfel's and Karim's families are from the same town in Algeria (Ath Djellil). He's also a cousin of famous Algerian singer Hanifa (Hanifa's mother is the sister of Newfel's grandfather).

References

edit
  1. ^ Donovan, Jake (9 September 2022). "Newfel Ouatah Protests In Ring, Simone Kean Credited With 16-Second Stoppage Win". boxingscene.com. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  2. ^ Donovan, Jake (10 September 2024). "Newfel Ouatah Explains Reason For In-Ring Protest Protest Against Simon Kean; Purse Withheld". boxingscene.com. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
edit