Artur Szpilka

Artur Szpilka (; born 12 April 1989) is a Polish mixed martial artist and former professional boxer who competed from 2008 to 2021. He challenged once for the WBC heavyweight title in 2016. He holds a notable win over former two-weight world champion Tomasz Adamek.

Early life Szpilka was born in Wieliczka, Poland in 1989. He has said he was a football hooligan before a local boxing coach suggested he should take up boxing instead. As an amateur, Szpilka won the Polish national heavyweight title and reached the quarterfinals of the Junior world championships before turning professional in 2008. In October 2009, when he was 20 years old, he was arrested for being involved in a brawl between rival football fans and spent 18 months in prison.

Professional career Early career On 30 June 2012, Szpilka fought Jameel McCline in Łódź, Poland, which he won by unanimous decision (UD). Szpilka's win over McCline and his perfect 12–0 record secured him a fight with Mike Mollo in 2013; he overcame two knockdowns to beat Mollo by a sixth-round knockout. An attempt at revenge by Mollo saw Szpilka winning again by knockout, this time in the fifth, though Szpilka once again had to overcome a knockdown.

Szpilka vs. Jennings On 25 January 2014, Szpilka suffered his first defeat against Bryant Jennings. Jennings initially was to face Mariusz Wach, however Wach pulled out of the fight, and Szpilka stepped in after calling out Jennings on Twitter. The fight took place in Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. Szpilka lost the fight by referee stoppage in the final round.

Szpilka vs. Adamek Later that year, on 8 November 2014, Szpilka scored his most significant win with a ten-round UD over former light-heavyweight and cruiserweight world champion Tomasz Adamek.

WBC heavyweight title challenge Szpilka vs. Wilder On 16 January 2016, he fought for the WBC heavyweight title against defending champion Deontay Wilder. Szpilka proved an awkward opponent for Wilder with his elusive style, making the champion miss on many occasions. Unfortunately for Szpilka, while advancing closer to Wilder in round nine, he was caught by a hard right hook on the chin which knocked him out cold. He remained on the canvas for several minutes and needed to be stretchered out of the ring.

Return to the ring Szpilka vs. Kownacki About a year and a half after the Wilder fight, Szpilka made his comeback in New York against compatriot Adam Kownacki. Kownacki was in control for most of the fight, dropping Szpilka and subsequently getting a TKO victory in the fourth round. His next fight was against American Dominick Guinn, whom he defeated by unanimous decision.

Szpilka vs. Wach After that, Szpilka had another all-Polish main event, this time against former heavyweight world title challenger Mariusz Wach. Szpilka was visibly smaller and was hit flush several times, and at times the fight seemed like it was going to be stopped. However, in the end he succeeded in edging out Wach by a tiny margin and won by split decision.

Szpilka vs. Chisora On 20 July 2019, Szpilka fought former world title challenger Derek Chisora. In what was expected to be an action-packed and entertaining fight, Chisora managed to make easy work out of the Pole and knocked him out in the second round. On March 7, 2020, Szpilka moved down to Cruiserweight and won his first fight against Serhiy Radchenko by way of majority decision.

Szpilka vs. Rozanski Spilka returned to Heavyweight to face Lukasz Rozanski, on May 30, 2021, for the newly created and vacant WBC Bridgerweight Title. He lost the bout via KO in the first round. Despite dropping Rozanski moments into the round, Szpilka himself would be knocked down three times by Rozanski, with the third and final knockdown rendering him unable to continue. Szpilka has not fought in professional Boxing since this loss, instead transitioning to Mixed Martial Arts, where he currently holds a 5-1 record.

Mixed martial arts career In 2022, it was announced that Szpilka would make his mixed martial arts debut against his former opponent in boxing, Serhiy Radchenko at KSW 71: Ziółkowski vs. Rajewski on 18 June 2022. He won the bout via second-round technical knockout.

In his sophomore bout in the sport, Szpilka faced Denis Załęcki at High League 4 on 17 September 2022. He won the bout via first round technical knockout after Załęcki suffered a knee injury.

Szpilka was then scheduled to face Arkadiusz Wrzosek at XTB KSW 78: Materla vs. Grove 2 on 21 January 2023. However, the bout was scrapped as Szpilka withdrew from the bout citing a back injury.

Szpilka faced former World's Strongest Man Mariusz Pudzianowski at XTB KSW 83: Colosseum 2 on 3 June 2023. He won the bout via technical knockout in the second round.

Szpilka next faced former Glory Kickboxer Arkadiusz Wrzosek at XTB KSW 94: Bartosiński vs Michaliszyn on 11 May 2024. He lost the bout via knockout in the first round.

Splika rebounded from this loss by facing former K-1 and current Glory Kickboxer, Errol Zimmerman, at XTB KSW 105: Bartosiński vs. Grzebyk, on April 26, 2025. He won the bout via submission in the first round, where after both he and Zimmerman rocked one another with punches, Szpilka took Zimmerman down and forced him to submit via an arm-triangle choke.

Spzilka next faced former Oktagon MMA Heavyweight champion Michal Martínek, at KSW 113, on December 20, 2025. Spzilka won the bout via TKO in the second round, dropping Martinek with a jab-cross combination, before finishing him with ground strikes. This bout lead to Szpilka being officially ranked in the KSW Heavyweight Division.

Szpilka then faced UFC veteran Augusto Sakai in his next fight, at KSW 120, on July 18, 2026. He won the bout via unanimous decision, dropping Sakai with a hard combination in the process.

Professional boxing record

Mixed martial arts record Win

Augusto Sakai Decision (unanimous) KSW 120

Gdynia, Poland Win

Michal Martínek TKO (punches) KSW 113

Łódź, Poland Win

Errol Zimmerman Submission (arm-triangle choke) KSW 105

Gliwice, Poland Loss

Arkadiusz Wrzosek KO (punches) KSW 94

Gdańsk, Poland Win

Mariusz Pudzianowski TKO (punches) KSW 83

Warsaw, Poland Win

Denis Załęcki TKO (knee injury) High League 4

Gliwice, Poland Win

Serhiy Radchenko TKO (submission to elbow) KSW 71

Toruń, Poland

Pay-per-view bouts

DateFightPay-per-view buysNetworkSource(s)Tomasz Adamek vs. Artur SzpilkaCyfrowy Polsat PPV Total sales 100,000

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 2018 Pitbull: Last Dog Boxer 1