“The Tongan Warrior” Paea Wolfgramm (18-1) challenged WBA Inter-Continental and European heavyweight champion and former Olympic gold medallist Wladimir Klitschko (31-1) for the WBC International heavyweight title.

Date: 18 March 2000
Venue: Sporthalle Altersdorfer, Hamburg, Germany
Referee: Laurence Cole

The Pacific island nation of Tonga is best known for its giant-killing rugby team, but not so much for its boxing. It’s fitting, therefore, that it’s best-known boxer is a former rugby player. Wolfgramm had fought in just 24 amateur bouts prior to the 1996 Olympics, where he entered the super-heavyweight tournament as a major outsider. Three wins later, including victory over Belorussian Siarhei Liakhovich (more on him later), he found himself in the final. His opponent? Ukraine’s Wladimir Klitschko, who went on to score a points win to take the gold medal. Nonetheless, Wolfgramm, who had battled bravely on despite a broken nose and wrist in the semi-final, became Tonga’s first ever Olympic medallist – a remarkable achievement!

His record since turning professional in 1996 had been less than spectacular, though, with a defeat to Marion Wilson in 1998 suggesting he was some way off the furious pace Wladimir had set. But shedding over 40 lbs (from 330 lbs for the defeat to Wilson) and victory over Jorge Luis Gonzalez later that year suggested some potential if he focused, and despite only two bouts since then, he managed to work his way into a rematch of the 1996 Olympic final for the vacant WBC International belt.

However, any hope of revenge for Wolfgramm was extinguished in double quick time. The bout effectively lasted 80 brutal seconds, in which Wladimir was able to land at will and eventually send the Tongan to the canvas with a fearsome combination to which there was no reply and barely any defence. Wolfgramm tried to get to his feet but quickly found himself rolling back to the floor again. It would be unlikely Wladimir would have as easy a night’s work as that for some time.

Unsurprisingly, after this Wolfgramm’s professional career never really ignited. He won two of his remaining four bouts, the most significant being a technical decision win over fellow Oceanic fighter Jimmy Thunder, but defeats to Eliecer Castillo and Corey Sanders led to him ending his career in 2001 with a 20-4 record.

Winner: Wladimir Klitschko (by TKO R1)