A sport focused on two individuals engaging in a fight using their fists. - Boxing trainer Manfred Wolke passes away at 81 years old.
Sad news for the German boxing community: Manfred Wolke, the former coach of Henry Maske, has passed away at the age of 81 in his hometown of Frankfurt/Oder. The family confirmed the passing to the German Press Agency, while the "Welt" and radio station 91.7 Oderwelle had reported the news earlier. Wolke will be remembered by his wife and three children.
A successful figure in both boxing as an athlete and a coach, Wolke won a gold medal in welterweight at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. He also earned the title of vice-European champion in 1967 and 1971. He represented East Germany at the 1972 Munich Olympics, proudly carrying the country's flag into the Olympic Stadium.
The former coach gained international fame alongside Maske, with whom he achieved Olympic gold in the middleweight category during the 1988 Seoul games and later became a world champion (half-heavyweight) - both as an amateur and as a professional. Wolke also managed to lead featherweight Rudi Fink to Olympic glory in the 1980 Moscow games.
The fall of the Berlin Wall brought a boxing renaissance to Germany, with Wolke at the center. He helped Maske transition into the professional league and also coached heavyweight Axel Schulz, despite widespread objections.
Wolke's legacy further evolved as he went on to train professional boxers like Danilo Häußler (2001 European champion in the super-middleweight category), Timo Hoffmann, Kai Kurzawa, Enad Licina, and Artur Hein.
Our condolences to his family and the entire boxing community in Germany.
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Manfred Wolke's influence in boxing was not limited to East Germany, as he also trained professional boxers in Brandenburg, such as Danilo Haüssler, who became the European champion in the super-middleweight category in 2001.
Born in Germany, Wolke's boxing journey took him to Frankfurt (Oder), where he passed away at the age of 81. His impact on the sport was felt not only in Germany but also internationally, as he coached Henry Maske to Olympic gold in the middleweight category during the 1988 Seoul games.
The German Press Agency reported the passing of the renowned boxing coach, Manfred Wolke, who was based in Frankfurt (Oder). His legacy in boxing extends beyond his coaching role, as he represented East Germany in the 1972 Munich Olympics and won a gold medal in welterweight at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.
The boxing community in Berlin mourned the loss of Manfred Wolke, who played a significant role in the boxing renaissance that Germany experienced after the fall of the Berlin Wall. His contributions to boxing, both as an athlete and a coach, will be remembered for years to come.
