Mateusz Masternak

Mateusz Masternak (born 2 May 1987) is a Polish professional boxer fighting in the cruiserweight division. He is a former EBU and WBO European cruiserweight champion.

Amateur career

Masternak had been living in Iwaniska until he finished primary school and junior high school. He started training boxing at the KSZO Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski club. At the age of 15 he moved to Wrocław where he started training at the Gwardia Wrocław club.

His first coaches in Gwardia were Mariusz Cieślak and Grzegorz Strugała. At the same time, Masternak joined Primary School No. 19 in Wrocław. His crucial year in amateur boxing was 2005, when he became the junior champion of Poland in Middleweight (75 kg). After the success he joined the national junior team.

His first fight in the national team took place in Tallinn during Junior Championship of Europe. Masternak was defeated in the quarter-final. In the same season, the young Pole won bronze medal during Championship of Poland. In the next year he finished second.

Professional career In March 2006, Masternak turned professional. Unbeaten in his first 28 fights, he beat Juho Haapoja on a unanimous decision at Arena Nürnberger Versicherung in Nuremberg, Germany, on 15 December 2012 to win the vacant European Boxing Union (EBU) cruiserweight title.

He lost the title in his first defense by 11th round technical knockout against Grigory Drozd on the undercard of Wladimir Klitschko vs. Alexander Povetkin at the Olympic Stadium in Moscow, Russia, on 5 October 2013.

Masternak unsuccessfully attempted to regain the now vacant title when he lost to Tony Bellew by unanimous decision at The O2 Arena in London, England, on 12 December 2015.

On 24 April 2018 at Hala Sportowa Częstochowa in Częstochowa, Poland, Masternak became WBO European cruiserweight champion when his opponent for the vacant title, Youri Kayembre Kalenga, retired at the end of round six.

On 20 October 2018, Masternak lost to Yuniel Dorticos via unanimous decision at CFE Arena in Orlando, Florida, USA, in the quarter-finals of the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight tournament.

He challenged WBO cruiserweight champion, Chris Billam-Smith, at Bournemouth International Centre in Bournemouth, England, on 10 December 2023, losing when he retired in round eight because of a rib injury.

Masternak became a two-time EBU cruiserweight champion by knocking out Joel Tambwe Djeko in round seven of their fight for the vacant title at Nosalowy Dwór in Zakopane, Poland, on 4 October 2025.

He lost the title in his first defense against Viddal Riley on the undercard of Derek Chisora vs. Deontay Wilder at The O2 Arena in London, England, on 4 April 2026.

Professional boxing record Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location