Sinan Samil Sam, European Heavyweight Champion, Dies at 41
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Istanbul, Turkey (October 31st, 2015)-– The ‘Bull From Bosporus’, heavyweight contender Sinan Samil Sam, who won the European Heavyweight title in 2003, and regained it in his final pro bout in 2008, has died of liver failure at the age of 41 in his native Turkey. Not a surprise, Sam was treated previously for liver failure in 2010 for excessive alcohol consumption.
Fighting out of Hamburg, Germany between 2002 and 2008, Sam, who won the super heavyweight championship as an amateur at the 1999 World Games, had a professional record of 31-4 with 16 knockouts, and will probably best be remembered as the best heavyweight ever to come out of Turkey. Sam never got a shot at a share of the world heavyweight title, as he lost a WBC elimination bout by 12 round decision to Oleg Maskaev in Hamburg in November 2005. Maskaev won the WBC World Heavyweight title by defeating Hasim Rahman in his next bout. Sam lost a second heavyweight eliminator to former WBC World Heavyweight champion Oliver McCall by 12 round decision in Ankara, Turkey in June 2007. Overall, Sam fought in a respectable ten WBC regional bouts and five European title bouts at heavyweight.
Between 2004 and 2007, Sam also fought in eight consecutive World Boxing Council International Heavyweight title bouts. Sam also held the World Boxing Council Mediterranean title in 2007 and 2008. Sam won the European title from Przemyslaw Saleta in Germany in October 2002 and defended it twice before losing it in February 2004 by 12 round decision to Luan Krasniqi. Sam regained the European Heavyweight title in July of 2008 by winning a 12 round decision over Pablo Vidoz in his final ring appearance.
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