Mourning: Boxing trainer Manfred Wolke dies at the age of 81

German boxing is mourning the loss of Manfred Wolke. Henry Maske’s former successful coach died last Wednesday at the age of 81 after a long, serious illness in his hometown of Frankfurt/Oder, as Maske confirmed to the German Press Agency, citing his family. The “Welt” newspaper and radio station 91.7 Oderwelle had initially reported this. Wolke leaves behind his wife and three children.

“For me, he was the undisputed trainer,” said the 60-year-old Maske. “Some athletes who were considered average became internationally successful boxers under him,” said Maske. “Of course, the athlete has to do it alone, but Manfred Wolke was the companion who showed them possibilities and made demands that they probably would not have implemented otherwise.”

Success Coach Wolke

Wolke was successful both as an athlete and as a trainer. As a welterweight, he won Olympic gold in Mexico City in 1968. He was also vice-champion of the European Championships in 1967 and 1971. At the 1972 Summer Games in Munich, he carried the GDR flag into the Olympic Stadium.

However, Wolke became famous at Maske’s side, whom he made Olympic middleweight champion in Seoul in 1988 and then world champion (light heavyweight) – both among amateurs and later among professionals. Wolke also led featherweight Rudi Fink to Olympic gold in Moscow in 1980.

With Maske, Wolke triggered a boxing boom in Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall. He also took heavyweight Axel Schulz, whom he had also coached during his amateur days, into the professional ranks despite much resistance.

Boxing world mourns Wolke

“He was certainly one of the best coaches in the world. There are rarely athletes who are so successful and at the same time work so successfully as coaches,” said coaching icon Ulli Wegner to the German Press Agency.

Wolke later trained professionals such as Danilo Häußler, 2001 European super middleweight champion, and Timo Hoffmann, Kai Kurzawa, Enad Licina and Artur Hein.