Boxprofi Enrico Kölling can write history this weekend. The Berlin currywurst and soft ice cream parlor owner fights against the Russian Artur Beterbijew (03.30 a. m.) for the IBF title in Fresno/California on Sunday night.
Thus he can become the first German boxer since Max Schmeling in 1930, who is crowned champion in the USA.
However, Kölling’s chances of winning are slim. Beterbiyev is considered to be the world’s strongest halfweight, and has prematurely knocked out all eleven of his fights. and sent well-known opponents to the boards.
“With all due respect, he doesn’t have the class to be dangerous to me,”said the Chechen-born Beterbiyev before the fight confidently and announced:”Kölling will be my twelfth victim.”
Kölling, who spends two to three times a week at the Currywurst-Grill, is actually known as a “Leisetreter”, but surprised with his answer:”I saw something,” said the London 2012 Olympic participant in reference to the legendary Max-Schmeling sentence.
Schmeling had been in the game before his victory against Joe Louis on 19 March. He said that Louis always dropped his left hand after a punch. Indeed, Schmeling won the fight against the unbeatable “Brown Bomber” in round 12 by knocking out the winner.
For Kölling, he is also a diabetic. Every day he has to inject insulin to lower his blood sugar level. Nevertheless, Kölling is still hot and wants to make a big difference in the 25th minute. Battle of his career (a defeat) to win the IBF title. Henry Maske wore this mask in the 1990s, next to Schmeling Kölling’s second idol.