Career

He is perhaps best known as being the only fighter for nearly a decade (from 2000 to 2009) to have gone the full distance against Vitali Klitschko. In 2000 he suffered his first loss to Vitali Klitschko but managed to go the full 12 rounds with the hard-hitting Ukrainian. Hoffmann was then upset on his next fight by Michael Sprott.

Hoffmann never fought for a major world title throughout his career, but he held various smaller titles for some periods.

He last fought Francois Botha in 2009 and lost the fight by split decision. His record as of December 2009 stands at 38 wins, 7 losses and one draw.

Achievements

• As an amateur Hoffman won a silver medal at the 1992 Junior European Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland and a bronze medal at the 1992 Junior World Championships in Montreal, Canada and had 86 amateur fights. Hoffman turned professional in 1997 and won his first 22 bouts. This was the first and for nearly a decade a last occasion that someone went to the distance with Klitschko, until Kevin Johnson managed to achieve the same feat in late 2009.