Axel Schulz

Axel Schulz
Schulz in 2007
Statistics
Nickname(s)	Der sanfte Riese ("The Gentle Giant")
Rated at	Heavyweight
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Reach	193 cm (76 in)
Nationality	German
Born	9 November 1968 Bad Saarow, Oder-Spree, Brandenburg, East Germany
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	33
Wins	26
Wins by KO	11
Losses	5
Draws	1
No contests	1
Medal record Competitor for  East Germany Men's boxing World Amateur Championships 1989 Moscow Heavyweight European Amateur Championships 1989 Athens Heavyweight

Axel Schulz (born 9 November 1968) is a German former professional boxer. He is a three-time world heavyweight title challenger and also held the European heavyweight title. As an amateur he won a bronze medal at the 1989 World Amateur Boxing Championships and silver at the 1989 European Amateur Boxing Championships, after which he turned professional in 1990.

Schulz first fought for a world title in 1995, when he challenged George Foreman for his IBF heavyweight title. Schulz lost a very close majority decision, but was immediately granted a second opportunity at the title in the same year. With Foreman having vacated the title after refusing a rematch, Schulz faced Frans Botha but lost the fight via split decision. However, Botha later tested positive steroids, which led to Schulz receiving a third chance at the title. In 1996 he fought Michael Moorer for the vacant IBF heavyweight title, losing again via split decision.

Amateur career

From 1982 Schulz boxed for the army sports club Vorwärts in Frankfurt (Oder), later becoming the East German youth champion. At the junior European championships in Denmark in 1986, Schulz won the light-heavyweight title, and in 1988, under the tutelage of Manfred Wolke, he became East German heavyweight champion. In 1989 he won the Chemiepokal in Halle (Saale), the silver medal at European Championships in Athens, and a bronze medal in the world championships in Moscow, where he lost to Félix Savón. Record: 78 wins, 20 losses.

Professional career

After reunification, Schulz turned professional. in 1992 he became German heavyweight champion after defeating Bernd Friedrich in Kassel.

1992 and 1993 saw two fights against Henry Akinwande for the European championship. The first fight was declared a draw, but in the return match Schulz suffered his first professional defeat.

Fights for the IBF Championship

On 22 April 1995 Schulz fought George Foreman for the IBF heavyweight title, losing controversially on points. This was Foreman's first fight since regaining the title from Michael Moorer, and Schulz was viewed at the time as being a weak, unknown opponent. After refusing a rematch, Foreman was stripped of his title and Schulz was given a second opportunity when he fought Francois Botha for the vacant title on 12 December 1995. Following a split decision verdict in Botha’s favour, the result was changed to a no-contest when Botha failed a doping test. A third chance followed for Schulz on 22 June 1996 when he faced Michael Moorer for the still vacant title. Moorer won on points.

Several fights against lower quality opposition followed. These included a stoppage victory over Kevin McBride, who eight years later would defeat a badly faded Mike Tyson. Schulz ended his career after suffering a stoppage at the hands of Wladimir Klitschko on 25 September 1999 for the vacant European championship. Schulz had been thoroughly outclassed. In the end, despite lofty expectations after the George Foreman fight, Schulz was unable to win a title at European or world level.

Comeback attempt

Since the end of his career Schulz has worked in television as a summariser. In December 2005 he received an offer to fight again from Carl King, the stepson of the boxing promoter Don King. His comeback fight took place on November 25, 2006, against Brian Minto. He lost the fight in the sixth Round (T.K.O.).

He retired with a record with 26-5-1 and one no contest with 11 knockouts.

Axel Schulz married in March 2006. He and his wife had their first child, a girl, on 19 August 2006: Paulina Patricia Clara and another girl born on January 2010: Amelina Patricia Hedwig.

Professional boxing record

External links

• Official website
• Professional boxing record for Axel Schulz from BoxRec