Eminent trainer - Boxing gains social approval: Farewell to Manfred Wolke.
Sparkling evening battles and large audience ratings: Manfred Wolke played a massive role in the boxing boom in Germany during the 1990s. The successful boxing trainer, who coached Henry Maske and Axel Schulz, passed away last Wednesday at the age of 81 in his hometown of Frankfurt/Oder.
The German Press Agency confirmed this news with Maske on Monday, referring to the family. Both the "Welt" newspaper and the radio station 91.7 Oderwelle had reported earlier.
"He was undoubtedly the trainer for me," said the 60-year-old. "Some athletes who were considered average became internationally successful boxers under him." Maske later added, "Of course, the athlete has to do it alone, but Manfred Wolke was the companion that showed them possibilities and set demands they probably wouldn't have achieved otherwise."
Wolke was by Maske's side when the now-famous former boxer won the Olympic gold medal in the middleweight division in Seoul in 1988 and the professional world championship in the light heavyweight division in 1993. He also led the featherweight Rudi Fink to the Olympic gold medal in Moscow in 1980.
Wolke, also known as "Manne," helped elevate boxing from obscurity to the main stage. In reunified Germany, he gained fame in the Sauerland boxing stable and brought Maske into the limelight, resulting in Primetime matches with over a million viewers. "He made professional boxing in Germany more respectable. He was the driving force behind Maske's success," said legendary trainer Ulli Wegner to the DPA.
Born in 1943 in Potsdam, Wolke was a prominent figure in East German sports. He achieved significant success himself as a welterweight, winning the Olympic gold medal in Mexico City in 1968. He was also the vice-European champion in 1967 and 1971. At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, he carried the DDR flag into the Olympic Stadium. "He was most definitely one of the world's best trainers. There are not many athletes who have been as successful and simultaneously worked as diligently as trainers," explained Wegner.
Maske: "Just a human being"
Wolke trained professionals such as Danilo Haussler, a champion in the super middleweight division of the 2001 European championship, and Timo Hoffmann, Kai Kurzawa, Enad Licina, and Artur Hein. The stern Wolke was known as a distinctive character who communicated much with few words.
And Wolke had a meaningful impact on his athletes, demanding top performance and pushing them to their limits. "Over time, I realized that Manfred Wolke is not a god, since he was once a god for me. He is simply a guide, just a human being," said Maske, deeply affected by the death of his former coach.
Wolke also coached heavyweight Axel Schulz. He coached him since his amateur days and brought him into the professional league despite many objections. "Without Manne, I wouldn't be the person I am today," said Schulz upon inquiry from DPA.
When the offer came in 1995 to box against George Foreman, Wolke persuaded Schulz to take on the fight. Although the German ultimately lost by points in a controversial decision, he earned a spot on the big boxing stage. "That was my breakthrough. He was the best trainer I ever had," exclaimed the former heavyweight boxer.
Read also:
- Manfred Wolke, the prominent trainer from Frankfurt/Oder, gained fame in the 1990s by elevating boxing from obscurity to the main stage in reunified Germany with athletes like Henry Maske and Axel Schulz.
- Born in Potsdam, Wolke achieved significant success as a welterweight boxer himself, winning the Olympic gold medal in Mexico City in 1968 and becoming the vice-European champion in 1967 and 1971.
- In the 1990s, Manfred Wolke played a crucial role in Germany's boxing boom, coaching heavyweight Axel Schulz from his amateur days and guide him into the professional league despite opposition.
- The German Press Agency confirmed the death of the legendary trainer Wolf, who passed away at the age of 81 in his hometown of Frankfurt/Oder, on Monday.
- Many well-known boxers, such as Kai Kurzawa, Enad Licina, and Artur Hein, were trained by Manfred Wolke, whose stern yet motivating approach transformed distinguished athletes like Danilo Haussler into championship winners.
