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Larsen made his pro debut on
October 29 1993, deep on the
undercard of WBO World Super
Flyweight champion Johnny
Bredahl´s title defense against
Puerto Rican Eduardo Nazario at
Storebaelthallen in Korsoer,
stopping Englishman Martin Jolly
(9-3-1) in the third round of a
scheduled four.
Larsen was kept relatively busy
with twelve fights over the next
thirty months, beating mostly
the usual line-up of experienced
trial-horses, but a knockout in
four rounds over former
Nigerian, African and WBC
International champion Hunter
Clay (38-16-1) in the Danes
tenth outing in January of 1996
was a very good indicator of
potential.
At 12-0 (10) Larsen went to
London for some international
experience in May 1995, and was
very unlucky when stopped on a
cut in the second round by
experienced but limited
Leicester journeyman Trevor
Ambrose (10-18) at York Hall.
The cut was not even that bad,
as Larsen was back in the ring
less than three weeks later,
getting back on track with a
first round knockout of Welshman
Lee Crocker
(8-11-1) in Copenhagen. Four
more convincing victories
followed, and by May 1997, his
record now standing at 17-1(14),
he was awarded with his first
title-shot.
On a big card featuring some of
Scandinavia’s biggest stars at
the time, Larsen stopped
American Shannon “Sandman”
Landberg (33-6-3) to lift the
vacant IBO World Super
Middleweight title at Randers
Hallen in Randers, not far from
his hometown of Aarhus.
Larsen was too fast and skilful
for the man from West Lafayette,
Indiana, and dominated the fight
until referee Pat Russell had
seen enough and waved it over in
the fourth. A convincing and
impressive display by the
handsome Dane, who by now had
been attached the often
over-used “Golden Boy” moniker.
Three non title-fight victories
followed, all by stoppage, over
Melvin Wynn (17-27-1), Carl
Jones (23-5-4), who two years
earlier had challenged Mike
McCallum for the WBC world Light
Heavyweight crown, and former
WBF world champion
Roger Turner
(29-4).
In November of 1997 Larsen made
his first IBO title defense with
a seventh round technical
knockout over reigning South
African champion Soon Botes
(16-3), before starting 1998
with February triumphs over Ray
Domenge (22-8), best known for
dropping a unanimous decision to
Roberto Duran in 1996, and Hugo
Daniel Sclarandi (32-22-4).
In March he defended his title
against Argentinean Bruno Ruben
Godoy (36-14-6) by emphatic
seventh round knockout, and then
stayed busy with stoppages over
Rob Bleakley (71-13) and Lee
Fortune (23-12-2), before
dispatching Brazilian Peter
Venancio (38-2-1) in seven
rounds in his third defense to
round out the year.
Venancio had gone twelve hard
rounds in a challenge for
William Joppy´s WBA world
Middleweight title the previous
year, losing a very tight
decision by only one, two and
three points on the scorecards,
so Larsen getting the stoppage
raised his stock by miles, and
he was now considered among the
very best in his division.
Five months on, March 19 1999,
Larsen further build on his
resume when he took on WBF World
Super Middleweight champion
Thulani
"Sugarboy" Malinga
(44-11) in a unification fight.
The South African was in his
third reign as world champion,
having also held the WBC
championship twice, and making
his second defense of the WBF
crown.
With victories over the likes of
Nigel Benn and Robin Reid, a
split decision loss to Chris
Eubank, and tough encounters
against Lindell Holmes and
Roy Jones Jr., the only man
to previously stop him, Malinga
was considered a massive test,
but a highly motivated Larsen
did a number on him and won by
tenth round knockout.
With his first WBF world title
defense scheduled for November
of 1999, Larsen tuned up with
comprehensive wins over former
IBF and WBC world titlist Simon
Brown (47-10) and Roni Martinez
(18-2), another former Roberto
Duran victim, in October. Brown
lasted six rounds, while
Martinez was send packing in
round one.
Headlining a star-studded card
(by Danish standards), Larsen
faced South American champion
Omar Eduardo Gonzalez (22-1) in
Viborg, and successfully
retained his WBF world title in
the sixth round. With a record
of 32-1 (28), Mr. Larsen was
making a strong claim to be the
best Super Middleweight in the
world.
Unfortunately he would be out of
the ring for almost a year after
the Gonzalez fight, and when he
returned in October 2000 he was
not ready to defend his WBF belt
against Englishman Robin Reid,
who won the vacant title a month
later in London.
Larsen continued to be
impressive though, winning his
next twelve bouts, nine of them
inside the distance, before
getting a shot at the IBF and
WBA world titles held by German
icon Sven Ottke (31-0) in
September 2003. Many felt that
Larsen deserved to win the
fight, but in the end it went to
Ottke by majority decision
(115-115, 113-115, 113-115).
Mads rebounded less than a month
later, returning to Germany to
face another undefeated local
hero in Danilo Haussler (22-0)
for the European title. This
time there would be no doubt, as
Larsen thoroughly schooled
Haussler and won a clear
unanimous decision.
After such a convincing victory,
the future again looked bright
for Larsen, and at only thirty
years of age he still had time
for another world title
campaign. But unfortunately a
dispute with promoter/manager
Mogens Palle kept him inactive
for almost four years, and
basically put a stop to his time
at world level.
When he did return to the ring,
after signing with German
promotional power-house
Sauerland Event in early 2007,
he was not the same. It appeared
that he didn’t have the same
drive and power, only managing
to stop one of his next seven
opponents.
In January of 2010 Larsen was
beaten in seven rounds by Bryan
Magee (32-3-1) in Aarhus,
attempting to reclaim the vacant
European title. In June 2012 he
tried to make a comeback, but
was halted in four rounds by
nine-fight novice Luke
Blackledge (9-0).
Mads Larsen was 39 years old
when he retired with a 51-4 (38)
record, and had a very nice
career. But despite winning two
world titles and the European
title, he is one of those boxers
you cant help feel could have
achieved even more, with a bit
of luck and perhaps some
different choices.
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