The boxing world is in mourning following the death of Manfred Wolke at the age of 81. The former German welterweight had been battling an incurable form of dementia for several years before passing away late last month.
Wolke, a legendary German coach and former Olympian, won Olympic gold in the 1968 Games. He tragically lost his battle with dementia, as reported by Die Stimme Berlins. Tributes have been pouring in for the late Wolke, with one boxing fan writing, “The great boxing trainer Manfred Wolke has died. RIP.”
In his final days, Wolke spent time in a care facility in Frankfurt, where his wife Brigitte would regularly visit him. As his condition worsened, the number of visitors was restricted, although his protege Henry Maske was allowed to visit him on his 80th birthday.
Fellow coach Ulli Wegner paid tribute to Wolke, stating, “Manfred has brought German professional boxing back to the top. That is his achievement.”
Wolke, who initially trained as a train mechanic, excelled in boxing and was selected for East Germany’s 1968 Olympic team. He went on to win a gold medal in the 147lb tournament. After retiring from boxing, he trained the next generation of fighters, including three-time IBF heavyweight title challenger Axel Schulz and IBF strap holder Henry Maske.
Most recently, Wolke trained former unified title challenger Francesco Pianeta, who faced off against Tyson Fury in 2018. Wolke’s contributions to the boxing world will not be forgotten as the community continues to mourn his loss.
