“Bild” writes about the Albanian boxer who lost a full 50 kilograms and is chasing titles

In the shadow of Agit Kabayel (33), Granit Shala (29) wants to become Germany’s great hope in professional heavyweight boxing.

When Kabayel returns to the ring in Germany on Saturday evening in Oberhausen, Shala will also box in front of 13,000 spectators. It is the biggest boxing night in Germany since the end of the Klitschko era.

While other heavyweight talents inexplicably let the opportunity to present themselves to a large audience slip away, the Munich-born boxer is determined to seize his chance. Shala has 18 wins and one defeat in his professional boxing career.

“Without Agit, an event like this would have been impossible to hold in Germany. It’s the perfect opportunity to show my abilities. I’m very grateful for the opportunity and will try to make the most of it,” Shala stressed.

In Oberhausen, he will box against the tough Croatian Peter Milas, who has 19 wins and one defeat.

Shala is among the world’s top 100 heavyweight boxers. He is currently ranked 86th. Few could have predicted this development during his childhood.

“I struggled with being overweight as a child. At nine years old, I weighed over 100 kilograms. I was teased at school because of it. Mentally, it was a difficult time,” Shala says.

Boxing gave him self-confidence and motivation. But his weight also caused him problems in boxing.

“When I showed up for my first German championship, people laughed. You couldn’t even see my belt because my stomach hung over it.”

Despite all this, he had a successful amateur career. He had around 80 bouts. He became a six-time junior champion and runner-up among adults.

In 2017, Shala turned professional. At the time, he weighed over 160 kilograms and drank liters of iced tea and Coca-Cola. With the help of his trainer, Agron Kurtishi, Shala changed his diet, lost over 50 kilograms and continued climbing the rankings. In April 2024, he suffered his first professional defeat. He was beaten by Oleksandr Zakhozhyi in a fight for the European title.

“It was a difficult moment. But it made me stronger. These are exactly the moments that make a champion,” Shala says.

He came back, won his next three fights and now wants to pave the way for further progress in the rankings. Saturday’s fight is against the toughest opponent of his career so far.