Iceland will host its first recorded professional boxing event on April 10, ending a decades-long absence of pro prizefighting in the country.
Undefeated heavyweight Kolbeinn Kristinsson will headline the historic card at Gamla Bíó in Reykjavik, facing Austria’s Sasa Milenkovic in a 12-round bout. While the venue has staged boxing since at least the 1920s, this marks the first officially recognized professional event in the nation’s history.
“It means everything to finally be able to fight at home, to have a home base and fight in front of my people,” said Kristinsson (19-0, 13 KOs). The 37-year-old has campaigned mostly across Scandinavia since turning pro in 2014 and last fought in November, scoring a second-round knockout of Pedro Martinez in Finland.
Professional boxing has been outlawed in Iceland since 1956 due to safety concerns. Kristinsson has described the legislation as outdated and explained that the upcoming event is being classified as “prize fighting” rather than “salary fighting.” The show, promoted by Nordic Ring and likely overseen by a Swedish commission, will also feature Norwegian prospect Brage Lange (8-0, 8 KOs) and Icelandic fighters Valgerdur Gudsteinsdottir and Emin Kadri, alongside three amateur bouts. Milenkovic (12-1, 11 KOs) enters on a 10-fight winning streak and will compete outside Austria for only the second time as well.
Image Credit: Kristinn Gauti