World champion Tina Rupprecht: Teacher before boxing Olympus: Historical Chance for “Tiny Tina”

Outside the boxing ring, Tina Rupprecht is easy to overlook: 1.53 meters small, not 50 kilograms. In the training hall in Augsburg, “Tiny Tina” could easily hide behind the many sandbags. But appearance is deceptive: Rupprecht is currently one of the largest boxers, number one in their weight class and has already written German sports history. And all of this, even though she also works at a Bavarian junior high school as a part -time teacher.

The greatest possible triumph is now on Saturday: In a historical combination of association, the 32-year-old has the chance to celebrate as the undisputed wearer of all four large World Cup belts. “This is the absolute maximum that is possible in professional boxes. I want victory, I want to be the best in the world,” she says in front of her title duel in the atomic weight of the German press agency. In the lightest women’s class up to 46.2 kilograms, it competes in Potsdam on Saturday evening (10.30 p.m./MDR) against Japanese Sumire Yamanaka.

Rupprecht like Max Schmeling once

A boxer from Germany had never kept the titles of three large associations at the same time, let alone all four. It can become the “undisputed” champion – a knighthood. Finally, she also gave her the respected specialist magazine “The Ring” another belt – this special award of the American “Box Bible” had only received one German before Rupprecht: Max Schmeling almost 100 years ago.

“Tiny Tina” in the boxing ring – Ms. Fritschi in physical education

Tina Rupprecht goes a way that is hardly imaginable for other athletes – especially from multi -million industry such as football. At the secondary school Zusmarshausen near Augsburg, she teaches sports once a week, every Wednesday. “I really like the work with the children and young people,” she says. “It is another facet for me that I am not only Tina the boxer all week. But I can also be something else.” By the way, she is Ms. Fritschi at school, as she actually means after the wedding with her husband Markus.

Last week Rupprecht stood in front of the students in class who wished her much success for the greatest boxing match in her life. “Above all, the little ones are always really cute, they come and say: I saw them in the newspaper or on television. They follow it and that’s already cute,” she says. When asked which arguments are more difficult, that as a boxer or that as a teacher, she replies grinning: “It hurts more in the boxing ring.”

Hardly space for trophies and World Cup belts in a small apartment

It was always more Rupprecht who dominated her opponents. Of 16 professional fights, she won 14 and only received one defeat. At the age of twelve she came to box via kickboxing. At 15, she made a collage for her coach Alexander Haan – who still trains her today – and stuck a photo of her after an amateur victory. Below the teenager wrote: “I want to be a world champion!”. In 2018 it was time, Rupprecht won her first World Cup title in the large association WBC.

In the meantime, she is holding the World Cup belts of the WBC, WBO and WBA associations – now she wants to take Yamanaka away the title of IBF. Rupprecht’s small apartment in Augsburg is not designed for this, so far it has exhibited belts and trophies in the bedroom on the wall. “It’s getting a little tight,” she says.

Trainer proud: Rupprecht a model for young people and girls

Plans for the interior are just as forbidden this week as dreams of possible records – only Saturday counts. “I catch her in at the thoughts,” says Coach Haan and emphasizes: “It’s about fighting and not about writing history.”

The successful coach has rarely seen an ambitious athlete, recently he flew to her to the training camp in Uzbekistan. Haan admires that she also has her school in addition to boxing. Rupprecht is a role model for many young people, especially girls. “Many say that is impossible, but nobody tries. She is the proof: if you try it and stay there, you can achieve everything.” This is exactly how “Tiny Tina” Rupprecht, Ms. Fritschi from physical education, wants to climb into the box Olympus on Saturday.