Turkish and European boxer (1930–2020)
Garbis Zakaryan
Born (1930-06-02 ) 2 June 1930Died 25 January 2020(2020-01-25) (aged 89) Nationality Turkish Other names "Demir Yumruk" ("Iron Fist") Statistics Weight(s) Welterweight
Garbis Zakaryan (Armenian : Կարպիս Զաքարեան ), (June 2, 1930 – 25 January 2020) was a Turkish and European welterweight boxing champion of Armenian ethnicity. He was the first Turkish professional boxer.[ 1] He was nicknamed "Demir Yumruk" ("Iron Fist").[ 2]
Zakaryan was born in Istanbul , of Armenian descent, and studied at the local Armenian Esayan school.[ 3] His father couldn't work because of poor health and his mother would make the entire household living from knitting.[ 1] He left school at 5th grade and began working as a newspaper salesman.[ 1] He began his boxing career in 1944 at the Boğaziçi Turnuvası (Bosporus Tournament).[ 3] He became the Istanbul and Turkey champion at 48 kg in 1947 and 1948. He then represented the Turkish National Team for the first time in 1949 against Spain. He became the first Turkish professional boxer in 1951. Zakaryan retired in 1966. He then worked as a boxing trainer including European champion, Cemal Kamaci.
Zakaryan went on to lose his European champion title in March 1957. He was Middle-East champion in 1964.
Zakaryan died on 25 January 2020 at the age of 89 in Istanbul, Turkey. He was interred at Şişli Armenian Cemetery after the religious funeral ceremony at Surp Yerrortutyun Armenian Church (Armenian : Սուրբ Երրորդութիւն Եկեղեցի , Turkish : Beyoğlu Üç Horan Ermeni Kilisesi ).[ 2]
28 Wins (6 knockouts), 8 Losses (1 knockouts), 5 Draws [ 4] Res. Record Opponent Type Date Location Notes Draw 32-13-6 Franco Nenci PTS 1966-04-15 Istanbul , Turkey Win 1-1 Piero Morgia TKO 1965-12-09 Istanbul , Turkey Win 0-1 Maroun Jeres PTS 1965-08-14 Beirut , Lebanon Win 5-5-3 Abdulha Mohamed Djen Doubi TKO 1965-03-20 Istanbul , Turkey Win 4-6 Jean-Claude Labreuille PTS 1964-12-02 Istanbul , Turkey Win 2-1-2 Lothar Kremer PTS 1964-09-17 Paris, France Win 2-1-2 Lothar Kremer PTS 1964-09-17 Paris, France Win 0-0 Maroun Jeres KO 1964-06-08 Istanbul , Turkey Middle Orient Middleweight Title Win 3-17-6 Mario Della Corte PTS 1964-04-09 Istanbul , Turkey Win 39-29-11 Rene Brunet PTS 1963-11-18 Istanbul , Turkey Win 66-65-20 Jean Ruellet PTS 1963-08-19 Istanbul , Turkey Win 38-26-10 Rene Brunet TKO 1963-03-27 Istanbul , Turkey Win 1-0-2 Charles Attali PTS 1960-10-12 Istanbul , Turkey Draw 1-0-1 Charles Attali PTS 1960-03-18 Istanbul , Turkey Win 0-1-0 Mohammed Salah Mousri PTS 1959-10-08 Istanbul , Turkey Loss 38-15-4 Paulo Sacoman PTS 1957-11-22 São Paulo , Brazil Win 11-7-6 Brahim Kettani PTS 1957-11-10 Paris, France Loss 34-2-2 Martiniano Pereyra TKO 1956-10-20 Buenos Aires , Argentina Loss 44-1-2 Cirilo Gil PTS 1956-09-22 Buenos Aires , Argentina Loss 48-7-2 Idrissa Dione PTS 1956-08-18 Istanbul , Turkey Win 14-3-2 Ousmane Cisse PTS 1956-04-08 Beirut , Lebanon Loss 7-0-0 Jacques Nervi PTS 1956-03-17 Granville , France Win 16-1-0 Michel François PTS 1956-03-03 Paris, France Win 22-6-2 Ziyaris Taki KO 1955-07-30 Istanbul , Turkey Turkish Welterweight Title Win 22-6-2 Ahmed Belarbi II PTS 1955-06-05 Istanbul , Turkey Draw 0-1-0 Jan Papadopulos PTS 1955-05-15 Alexandria , Egypt Win 19-7-8 Karl Oechsle PTS 1955-03-27 Istanbul , Turkey Win Emmanuel Lambidis PTS 1955-02-27 Istanbul , Turkey Win Jan Papadopulos PTS 1954-11-02 Beirut , Lebanon Loss 34-2-0 Idrissa Dione PTS 1954-02-05 Beirut , Lebanon Loss 33-2-0 Idrissa Dione PTS 1954-01-23 Istanbul , Turkey Win Brahim Kettani PTS 1954-01-12 Istanbul , Turkey Win 22-30-7 Emmanuel Clavel RTD 1953-10-03 Istanbul , Turkey Win 15-3-2 Ziyaris Taki PTS 1953-08-18 Istanbul , Turkey Turkish Welterweight Title Win 9-22-4 Robert Astoine PTS 1953-04-30 Paris, France Draw 16-15-31 Freddi Teichmann PTS 1953-04-17 Berlin, Germany Win 22-8-4 Charles Dhery PTS 1953-03-14 Istanbul , Turkey Win 8-18-4 Leandre Mateos PTS 1953-01-13 Istanbul , Turkey Win 8-18-4 Michel Lambidis PTS 1951-12-23 Istanbul , Turkey Win 5-0-0 Ziyaris Taki PTS 1951-05-02 Istanbul , Turkey Precise date is uncertain. This fight is from a record provided by Leo Vollnhofer, Vienna. Loss 2-0-0 Ziyaris Taki PTS 1951-03-10 Istanbul , Turkey Precise date is uncertain. This fight is from a record provided by Leo Vollnhofer, Vienna. Draw 5-6-2 Ali Amrane PTS 1950-10-18 Istanbul , Turkey