Frankfurt on the Oder is a city in Brandenburg, Germany. - Boxing trainer Manfred Wolke passes away at age 81.
The German boxing world is in mourning upon hearing the passing of Manfred Wolke. This former coach of Henry Maske passed away last Wednesday at the age of 81 in his hometown of Frankfurt/Oder, as confirmed by Maske to the German Press Agency. Wolke's death had previously been reported by "Welt" and radio station 91.7 Oderwelle. His loved ones are the ones who will be left behind, including his wife and three children.
Wolke had a successful career in both athletics and coaching. He won a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City as a welterweight. He was also the vice-European champion in 1967 and 1971. At the 1972 Munich Summer Games, he proudly carried the East German flag into the Olympic Stadium.
Wolke gained fame alongside Henry Maske, turning Maske into an Olympic champion in the middleweight category in 1988 in Seoul and a world champion (half-heavyweight) both as an amateur and later as a professional. He also coached Rudi Fink to Olympic gold in the featherweight category at the 1980 Moscow Games.
Wolke unleashed a boxing frenzy in Germany following the fall of the Berlin Wall, not just with Maske, but also with heavyweight Axel Schulz, who he coached since his amateur days. He brought Schulz into the professional league despite the many objections.
He later trained professional boxers such as Danilo Häußler, the 2001 European super middleweight champion, as well as Timo Hoffmann, Kai Kurzawa, Enad Licina, and Artur Hein.
Read also:
- Manfred Wolke's hometown, Frankfurt (Oder), is located in the German state of Brandenburg, not far from Berlin.
- Despite his success in boxing, including winning a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics and coaching Olympic champions like Henry Maske and Rudi Fink, Wolke's legacy extends beyond the ring, leaving behind his wife and three children.
- Berlin-based heavyweight boxer Axel Schulz was one of many professional boxers who benefited from Wolke's training, having been coached by him since his amateur days.
- The German Press Agency reported on the passing of Manfred Wolke, a famous boxing trainer from Frankfurt/Oder, Germany, who passed away at the age of 81, leaving behind a significant impact on the German boxing scene.
