Labinot Xhoxhaj Defeats Mourad Aliev to Retain European Title

Hamburg, Germany - It wasn’t pretty. In fact, at times it was downright ugly. But Labinot Xhoxhaj held on to his unbeaten record and successfully defended his EBU European Heavyweight Championship with a unanimous decision win over French-Algerian southpaw Mourad Aliev on Saturday night at the Universum Gym in Hamburg.

The bout was marred by constant clinching, missed punches, and awkward exchanges — including one wild moment where both fighters fell through the ropes. In the end, the judges rendered tight but unanimous scores of 115-113, 115-112, and 114-113 in favor of Xhoxhaj, who did just enough with cleaner inside work and consistent pressure to deserve the nod.

Fight Breakdown

Xhoxhaj, the lighter and shorter man by over 50 pounds, came forward all night, trying to work inside while Aliev looked to jab, move, and — most notably — tie up at every opportunity. What began as a stylistic clash quickly descended into a pattern of disruption: jab, grab, wrestle, reset.

Despite Aliev’s Olympic pedigree and size advantage, it was Xhoxhaj who showed more urgency and landed the more effective punches, especially to the body. As early as Round 4, Aliev looked fatigued. By Round 6, he was cut, tired, and frequently clinging on as boos echoed through the Hamburg venue.

Xhoxhaj wasn’t dazzling, but he stayed composed. He used every pocket of space Aliev gave him to land short hooks and digging rights to the ribs. Even when the action spilled out of the ring — an almost symbolic low point for the contest — it was Xhoxhaj who stood up and went back to work.

Close Scorecards, Clear Winner

While all three judges gave the nod to Xhoxhaj, the margins were narrow: 115-113, 115-112, 114-113. Given the control Xhoxhaj appeared to exert through the middle and late rounds, many observers felt the scores were overly generous to Aliev, whose output was sporadic and whose clinching frustrated fans and officials alike.

Still, the right man won. And with the victory, Xhoxhaj keeps hold of the European heavyweight crown, further raising the profile of Kosovo and Albania on the continental boxing stage.

What’s Next?

This win likely sets Xhoxhaj up for another EBU title defense or possibly a move toward a WBC International ranking — depending on how his handlers play it. He remains unbeaten, tough, and fan-friendly — at least when he’s not being dragged into a wrestling match.

Aliev, meanwhile, suffers his first professional loss and will need to go back to the drawing board. The size and talent are there, but conditioning, urgency, and clean tactics must improve if he wants to rise again in a stacked heavyweight scene.