Chris van Heerden (born 19 June 1987) is a South African professional boxer and a former IBO

welterweight Welterweight is a weight class in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like Muay Thai, taekwondo, and mixed martial arts also use it for their own weight division system to classify th ...

champion.

Early life

Van Heerden grew up in

Meyerton, Gauteng Meyerton is a small town lying 18 km north of Vereeniging in Gauteng, South Africa. It is situated in the Midvaal Local Municipality (of which it is the capital) in the Sedibeng District Municipality. History Meyerton was established in 1891 ...

Professional career

Van Heerden started his professional career in 2006. He quickly emerged as a top fighter in the African continent, which he subsequently proved by snapping South African and ABU welterweight titles. However, in 2010 he suffered his first loss in the professional ring to Serbian Ivica Stevanovic for IBF Inter-Continental light middleweight title. This fight, though, did not stop him from rise to success. In 2009 he prevailed over fellow South African Kaizer Mabuza and gained IBO welterweight belt. He managed to defend his belt twice, against

Sebastián Andrés Luján Saint Sebastian (in Latin: ''Sebastianus''; Narbo, Gallia Narbonensis, Roman Empire c. AD 255 – Rome, Italia, Roman Empire c. AD 288) was an early Christian saint and martyr. According to traditional belief, he was killed during the Diocle ...

and Matthew Hatton. In Winter 2013 van Heerden decided to relocate to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. The move meant that Van Heerden had been forced to relinquish his status as the International Boxing Organisation's champion but it was a move that he considered to pave the way to higher honours in future.

Van Heerden vs. Spence Jr

On 11 September 2015, van Heerden faced rising prospect

Errol Spence Jr Errol may refer to: People with the given name *Errol Barnett (born 1983), anchor and correspondent for CBS News * Errol Barrow (1920–1987), first Prime Minister of Barbados * Errol Brown (1943–2015), British-Jamaican songwriter, lead singe ...

. Despite taunting Spence Jr numerous times throughout the fight, van Heerden was dominated by Spence Jr and dropped twice before the referee had seen enough and decided to stop the fight in round eight.

Van Heerden vs. Ennis

On 19 December 2020, van Heerden fought Jaron Ennis. Ennis was ranked #7 by the WBO, #10 by the IBF and #12 by the WBC at welterweight. After a clash of heads in the first round, van Heerden suffered a severe cut on his forehead which prompted the referee to stop the fight early, ending the fight with a no-decision outcome.

Van Heerden vs. Benn

On April, 16th 2022, Van Heerden challenged undefeated prospect Conor Benn for the WBA Continental Welterweight title. He lost by 2nd-round TKO after being dominated and got brutally knocked down in Round 2, where the referee stopped it.

Personal life

Van Heerden currently resides in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

Professional boxing record

, - style="text-align:center; background:#e3e3e3;" , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Res. , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Record , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Opponent , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Type , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Round , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Date , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Location , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Notes , align=left, , - align=center , Loss , 28–3–1 , align=left, Conor Benn , , , , align=left, , - align=center , style="background:#DDD", , 28–2–1 () , align=left, Jaron Ennis , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 28–2–1 , align=left, Aslanbek Kozaev , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 27–2–1 , align=left, Mahonri Montes , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 26–2–1 , align=left, Timo Schwarzkopf , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 25–2–1 , align=left, Sacky Shikukutu , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 24–2–1 , align=left, Steve Clagget , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Loss , 23–2–1 , align=left, Errol Spence Jr. , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 23–1–1 , align=left, Raymon Ayala , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 22–1–1 , align=left, Cecil McCalla , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 21–1–1 , align=left, Ray Narh , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 20–1–1 , align=left, Cosme Rivera , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 19–1–1 , align=left, Matthew Hatton , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 18–1–1 , align=left,

, , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 17–1–1 , align=left, Kaizer Mabuza , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 16–1–1 , align=left,

Bongani Mwelase Bongani Mwelase (born 23 August 1982) is a South African former boxer who became the 2006 Commonwealth amateur champion at welterweight. Amateur The hard-punching southpaw failed to qualify for the 2004 Athens Games by ending up in third plac ...

, , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 15–1–1 , align=left, Boitshepo Mandawe , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Loss , 14–1–1 , align=left, Nikola Stevanović , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 14–0–1 , align=left, Venance Mponji , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 13–0–1 , align=left, Boitshepo Mandawe , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 12–0–1 , align=left, Welcome Ntshingila , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 11–0–1 , align=left, Page Tshesane , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 10–0–1 , align=left, Hassan Saku , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 9–0–1 , align=left, Msizi Qwabe , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , style="background:#abcdef;", Draw , 8–0–1 , align=left, Page Tshesane , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 8–0 , align=left, Mpho Tshiambara , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 7–0 , align=left, George Mapalakane , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 6–0 , align=left, Luntu Kosana , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 5–0 , align=left, John Mokgotsa , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 4–0 , align=left, Moses Mbowane , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 3–0 , align=left, Keketso Mathaba , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 2–0 , align=left, Rodney Nepfumbada , , , , , align=left, , align=left, , - align=center , Win , 1–0 , align=left, Lucky Mavimbela , , , , , align=left, , align=left,

References

External links

Chris van Heerden – Profile, News Archive & Current Rankings
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Box.Live
{{DEFAULTSORT:van Heerden, Chris 1987 births Living people African Boxing Union champions Boxers from Johannesburg People from Midvaal Local Municipality South African male boxers Southpaw boxers Welterweight boxers White South African people