Felix Sturm Ends 25-Year Career Against Granit Stein On July 11

The former multi-time world champion will make his final ring appearance in Stuttgart against the hard-charging Granit Stein

Felix Sturm will fight for the final time on July 11 when he faces Granit Stein in Stuttgart, Germany. The former world champion has chosen a dangerous opponent for the last bout of a professional career that has spanned more than 25 years.

The 47-year-old former middleweight and super middleweight champion will headline the “One Last Dance” event at the Porsche Arena, a venue that hosted several of the biggest nights of his career. Sturm, 45-6-3 (20 KOs), is expected to make his final walk to the ring against a dangerous opponent rather than a carefully selected farewell rival.

Sturm first emerged as one of Germany’s biggest boxing stars during the country’s boxing boom of the early 2000s. A standout amateur who represented Germany at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, he went on to capture world titles on multiple occasions and established himself as one of Europe’s most recognizable fighters.

Sturm first gained international attention following his 2004 decision loss to Oscar De La Hoya in Las Vegas, a verdict many observers believed should have gone in his favor.

Many observers believed Sturm had done enough to retain his WBO middleweight title, despite losing a disputed decision.

Although his activity has slowed in recent years, Sturm has continued competing. Since returning from a four-year absence following his 2016 victory over Fedor Chudinov, he has fought sporadically, suffering a defeat to Istvan Szili in 2022 while also picking up victories over lesser opposition. His most recent appearance came in 2025 when he stopped Benjamin Blindert in three rounds.

Stein, 20-2-1 (11 KOs), presents a much sterner challenge. The 33-year-old pressure fighter has built a reputation for his aggressive, fan-friendly style and scored a notable knockout victory over previously unbeaten Sarhad Nouzad in a WBC regional title bout last December.

Stein was last seen in May, when he dropped a split decision to Diego Carmona over 10 rounds. Despite that setback, his willingness to press the action could test Sturm’s timing and conditioning in what is expected to be the German veteran’s farewell appearance.

If Sturm’s retirement plans remain unchanged, the July 11 contest will close the book on a professional career spanning more than 25 years and featuring five world title reigns, memorable nights in Stuttgart, and one of boxing’s most debated decisions against De La Hoya.

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