Labinot Xhoxhaj KO4 Pezhman Seifkhani — European Title Statement in Lahr

Lahr, Germany - In a performance that turned heads and validated his rise, Labinot Xhoxhaj successfully retained the EBU European Heavyweight Title with a fourth-round knockout of Pezhman Seifkhani on Valentine’s Day in front of a packed Hallensportzentrum crowd.

Xhoxhaj, the reigning champion who won the belt in late 2024 with a stunning upset over Oleksandr Zakhozhyi, came into the fight with momentum and purpose. He weighed in at 254.9 lbs, just a few pounds heavier than Seifkhani’s 249 lbsat the official Lahr weigh-in.

Pressure From the Start

From the opening bell, Xhoxhaj appeared to have seized the psychological initiative. He pressed forward with intelligent aggression, mixing effective jabs with looping power shots that kept the taller Seifkhani on his heels. Observers noted that the early rounds featured spirited two-way action, but that Xhoxhaj consistently landed the cleaner, harder punches — especially to the body and head — and never allowed Seifkhani to settle into rhythm. (Live tweets)

As one observer put it, Xhoxhaj “stayed in Seifkhani’s grill and just let his hands go,” making the heavyweight veteran work defensively from the first two frames.

The Finish: Round 4

In the fourth round the fight tilted decisively.

A big right hand to the jaw dropped Seifkhani hard midway through the round. Although the challenger beat the count, Xhoxhaj followed up immediately with a crisp combination — right hand, left hook, jab, and another stinging right that sent Seifkhani stumbling back into the ropes and down flat on his back.

The referee stepped in and waved the fight off at that moment, awarding Xhoxhaj the KO victory and triggering loud applause from the hometown crowd.

Statement Night for an Underrated Champ

This wasn’t just a title defense — it was a statement win.

Xhoxhaj had entered the bout with a reputation as a gritty over-achiever who thrives in tightly contested fights. Having taken the belt at short notice and survived tough decisions in his first defenses, this was the first time he stopped a ranked challenger in a title fight, and did so in authoritative fashion.

At 32 years old, the Kosovan-born champion now stands at 22-0-1 (17 KOs), with his European title firmly in hand and the kind of performance that could open doors beyond the regional scene.

What’s Next?

A convincing stoppage like this shifts the narrative for Xhoxhaj. Not only did he reinforce his European dominance, but he also eliminated any doubt about his power at this level. There’s already talk — both from fans and media — about names like Tony Yoka potentially being in the mix if Xhoxhaj keeps winning. That fight carries more global name value and could be the first truly international test for the champion.

For now, though, Xhoxhaj is the man in Europe — and tonight he made sure everyone knew it.