Universe boxing promotion

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The Universum Box-Promotion GmbH (short UBP) is a Hamburg boxing stable .

history

1984 to 2013

The company was founded by Klaus-Peter Kohl and managed until 2011. Professional boxing matches have been held since 1984 . Universum initially worked with the pay broadcaster Premiere . Until 2005, Peter Hanraths was managing director of the boxing stable, Jean-Marcel Nartz , who previously worked for competitor Wilfried Sauerland , worked as technical director for Universum from 2002 to 2009.

The home of the boxing stable was the premises of a former carpenter's workshop in Walddörferstrasse in the Hamburg district of Wandsbek , which had been converted into a training hall. Trainer Fritz Sdunek initially also took on caretaker services. In the early years, some of the Universum boxers still trained in the boxing cellar of the “ Zur Ritze ” pub on the Reeperbahn .

In 1991 the boxing stable signed Dariusz Michalczewski and Michael Löwe . Michalczewski became the showcase boxer universe in the following years. In 1994 Regina Halmich signed with Universum and in 1995 became the first German professional boxing world champion. In November 1996 the brothers Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko made their debuts as professional boxers at Universum on a fight evening in Hamburg . In the campaign for the brothers, Universum had previously outperformed the US promoter Don King . The two Ukrainians refused to change the name of the universe to Walter and Willi Klitschmann.

The great fights of Universum athletes in the history of the boxing stable included the fight of Markus Bott in February 1993 in the cruiserweight division , who became the first boxing world champion in this battle, and the world championship fight between Dariusz Michalczewski and Graciano Rocchigiani in August 1996 in Hamburg's Millerntorstadion , the rematch of the two in April 2000 in Hanover , the WBO heavyweight championship won by Vitali Klitschko in 1999 against Herbie Hide in London , Vitali Klitschko's fight against Lennox Lewis in Los Angeles in June 2003 and the one in Las Vegas in June 2004 Fought middleweight fight between Felix Sturm and Oscar de la Hoya .

The most important Universum trainers were Fritz Sdunek (he looked after Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, Michalczewski, Ralf Rocchigiani and Zsolt Erdei , among others ), Torsten Schmitz (his protégés included in particular Regina Halmich, Luan Krasniqi and Bert Schenk ), Michael Timm (trainer of Felix Sturm, Jürgen Brähmer , Ruslan Chagaev and Ina Menzer ) and Artur Grigoryan , who was initially a boxer at Universum and later switched to coaching.

From 2002 to 2010 Universum had a contract with the public television broadcaster ZDF , which broadcast the fight evenings on around fifteen Saturdays a year. At the beginning of 2003 Kohl also agreed a contract with the US pay broadcaster HBO to broadcast universe battles. In this regard, he spoke of the “decisive step into the USA”, which would make his boxing stable “part of HBO's gigantic marketing machine,” said Kohl. The agreement with ZDF did not change. Since the contract with the ZDF was not extended in 2010, the main source of income was missing (the ZDF jumped out annually about 15-20 million euros), and the departure of several well-known boxers (including the Klitschko brothers and Felix Sturm) omitted the economic basis. Universum Box-Promotion therefore terminated all employees in the administration department on July 31, 2010.

In 2004 there was a dispute between Universum and the Klitschko brothers over the contractual regulation. The two Ukrainian boxers wanted to market themselves from now on and went to court. The court ruled in December 2004 that the contractual relationship had not ended on April 30, 2004, but that the contracts had nevertheless expired in the meantime, as breaks in injuries had to be taken into account. The higher regional court later overturned the judgment. The legal dispute lasted until November 2009 and most recently concerned the Federal Court of Justice .

In May 2007, during a Universum fight evening in Hamburg, a fight broke out in the auditorium between members of the security service and boxing promoter Ahmet Öner (formerly boxer at Universum himself) and his companions. Öner and his companions suffered injuries. Both sides accused each other of provocations. Öner reported that he and his companions had been provoked by men who could be assigned to the right-wing extremist scene and that a trap had been set for him. These allegations lacked "any basis," it said on the part of the boxing stable. Three days after the brawl, Öner, who from then on was banned from entering the Universum event after the brawl, and Klaus-Peter Kohl discussed the incident, according to Öner, "all disputes had been cleared out of the way". Four security guards involved in the brawl were sentenced to prison or suspended sentences.

According to Sdunek, the decline of the boxing stable began with the separation from managing director Hanrath. In-house fights for the purpose of selecting boxers would have poisoned the climate. "We were no longer the big family of the 1990s," Sdunek stated in retrospect in 2012. At the end of June 2011, Universum announced the entry of a group of investors around the Kazakh German entrepreneur Waldemar Kluch and the associated move from the long-term location in the Hamburg district of Wandsbek to the DIMA sports center in Hamburg-Lohbrügge , which belongs to Kluch and his partners. As part of the presentation, Kohl announced: “We're really attacking, we're going to sign new boxers and get something up and running that is unique in the world.” The first event at the DIMA sports center took place in September 2011 in front of a good 1,000 spectators. Universum founder Kohl, who sold the company to Kluch in July 2011, withdrew from the management and reduced his involvement to a consultancy activity. Kluch became the new managing director. Due to the lack of a lucrative television contract, such as with Sauerland Event and ARD , as well as the unsuccessful search for donors, the fight evenings did not take place in large halls in front of a large audience, as in the past, but in a smaller setting such as in hotel halls or in their own training hall.

In 2012, both creditors and the boxing stable themselves filed for bankruptcy. The Hamburg District Court appointed a preliminary insolvency administrator. Universe could no longer be saved, said Kluch in November 2012. On January 14, 2013, bankruptcy proceedings were opened. The insolvency administrator did not continue business operations due to a lack of prospects of success. The claims of the creditors in 2013 amounted to more than four million euros.

New edition from 2019

In May 2019, the media reported on a new edition under the direction of Ismail Özen-Otto , the son-in-law of the mail order company Michael Otto . "The insolvency proceedings over the assets of Universum Box-Promotion GmbH" have been concluded and the insolvency "legally repealed" has been reported. Özen-Otto became managing director of Universum Box-Promotion GmbH , the insolvency administration had allowed him to use the name of the former boxing stable. One wants to "revive the tradition", he justified the choice of name. Özen-Otto stated that his goal was to become "number one in Europe" and he insisted on offering credible and serious boxing sport by announcing, among other things, that he wanted to organize sporty duels and no development fights, with representatives of the boxing team at the judges' table to renounce, not to allow any home advantage and not to tolerate any cheating like bought judgments. He introduced continuous doping controls for the main fighters. Artem Harutiunian was presented as the driving force behind the company : Özen-Otto planned to make Harutiunian a world champion. Juan Carlos Gomez and Artur Grigorian, two former greats of the original Universum boxing stable, became head coaches . The training center was set up in Grosse Elbstrasse in Hamburg-Altona . Dariusz Michalczewski was hired as the sports director. Özen-Otto won over sports marketing specialist Frank Mackerodt and sports presenter Burkhard Weber as consultants for his project . In August 2019, ZDF announced a collaboration with the new boxing stable. The first ZDF broadcast of the “new” Universum boxing stable took place in November 2019 in the “Die Kuppel” event hall in Hamburg-Bahrenfeld . The main fighter was Artem Harutiunian, who defeated the Russian Islam Dumanov.

Well-known former Universum boxers until 2012

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Kohl: "Above all, the athletes were important". Retrieved September 22, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Hartmut Scherzer: Klaus-Peter Kohl: The boxing universe collapses . ISSN  0174-4909 ( faz.net [accessed September 22, 2019]).
  3. ↑ Changing sides at the boxing ring. Retrieved September 22, 2019 .
  4. ↑ Carsten Harms: Kohl's anniversary: ​​From Wandsbek into the wide world of professional boxing . February 24, 2009 ( welt.de [accessed September 25, 2019]).
  5. ↑ a b Fritz Sdunek: End of a boxing stall: Moo means beef, grunt means pork . December 8, 2012 ( welt.de [accessed September 25, 2019]).
  6. ^ Gunnar Meinhardt : Ready to rumble: Boxboom Germany. Gunnar Meinhardt in conversation with the stars . New Life, 2013.
  7. ^ A b Gunnar Meinhardt: Ready to rumble: Boxboom Germany . New Life, 2013, ISBN 978-3-355-01808-1 .
  8. ↑ Ebby Thust: 25 years ago today Dariusz "Tiger" Michalczewski won his first world title. In: Kasten1.com - current boxing news. September 9, 2019, accessed on September 22, 2019 (German).
  9. ↑ November 27, 1994 - Boxer Regina Halmich wins first European title. November 27, 2014, accessed September 22, 2019 .
  10. ↑ Walter and Willi Klitschmann. Retrieved September 22, 2019 .
  11. ↑ Kohl: "Above all, the athletes were important". Retrieved September 22, 2019 .
  12. ↑ David Pfeifer: Back then in the ring with tiger, Rocky and mask. Retrieved September 22, 2019 .
  13. ↑ This is Vitali Klitschko. Retrieved September 22, 2019 .
  14. ↑ Patrick Czerny: 15 years ago today: Vitali Klitschko and Lennox Lewis have a legendary ring battle! In: Kasten1.com - current boxing news. June 21, 2018, accessed on September 22, 2019 (German).
  15. ↑ Storm attacks again. Retrieved September 22, 2019 .
  16. ↑ Boxing: Trainer Sdunek stops at Universum . In: Spiegel Online . February 25, 2010 ( spiegel.de [accessed on September 22, 2019]).
  17. ↑ Sonja Thust: Torsten Schmitz is the new trainer at Pollex Box Promotion. In: Kasten1.com - current boxing news. September 10, 2015, accessed on September 22, 2019 (German).
  18. ↑ Guest: The new life of Michael Timm. March 13, 2013, accessed September 22, 2019 .
  19. ↑ Universe anniversary: ​​32 world champions in 25 years. Retrieved September 22, 2019 .
  20. ↑ a b Universum Box-Promotion knocked, newspaper report in the FTD ( Memento from May 3, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
  21. ↑ https://www.abendblatt.de/archive/2003/pdf/20030103.pdf/HAHA20030103lf023.pdf
  22. ↑ A relationship of trust disturbed, storm no longer wants to box for Universum, newspaper report
  23. ↑ Universum Box-Promotion at the end, newspaper report
  24. ↑ Universum Box-Promotion knocked, newspaper report in the FTD ( Memento from May 3, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
  25. ^ Right straight: Klitschkos are suing Kohl . In: Spiegel Online . January 26, 2004 ( spiegel.de [accessed September 22, 2019]).
  26. ↑ Curious verdict! Victory for Kohl & Klitschkos. Retrieved September 22, 2019 .
  27. ↑ WORLD: Boxing: Klitschkos win in court against Universum . November 6, 2009 ( welt.de [accessed September 22, 2019]).
  28. ↑ Blood, sweat and no tears. March 19, 2009. Retrieved September 25, 2019 .
  29. ^ Scandal at the boxing gala: Bloody fight next to the ring . In: Spiegel Online . May 20, 2007 ( spiegel.de [accessed September 25, 2019]).
  30. ↑ WORLD: Super Middleweight: Chaos at Box-PK to the fight Eubank against Yildirim . October 4, 2017 ( welt.de [accessed September 25, 2019]).
  31. ↑ AFTER THE BOX SCANDAL - INTERVIEW AHMET ÖNER: "There is no revenge". May 23, 2007, accessed on September 25, 2019 (German).
  32. ↑ IN FRONT OF COURT: Boxing fight: bat convicted. October 27, 2007, accessed on September 25, 2019 (German).
  33. ^ Abendblatt.de: Universum: With millions abroad to new fame
  34. ↑ Hamburger Boxstall: Universum files for bankruptcy . In: Spiegel Online . November 20, 2012 ( spiegel.de [accessed September 27, 2019]).
  35. ↑ Boxing promoter Kohl no longer boss of Universum
  36. ↑ The last twitches of universe , press report, picture
  37. ↑ Universum files for bankruptcy.
  38. ↑ Court Boulevard : Universe - The End of a Boxing Stall
  39. ↑ Kluch files for bankruptcy: “The universe can no longer be saved” | Boxing - All news, tickets, dates and results from boxing. Retrieved September 22, 2019 (German).
  40. ↑ Universum Box-Promotion GmbH on insolvenzportal.de, accessed on October 18, 2015
  41. ↑ Former Klitschkos boxing stable is finally bankrupt welt.de, March 25, 2013, accessed on October 18, 2015
  42. ↑ New life from the ruins? Universe boxing promotion is back | Boxing - All news, tickets, dates and results from boxing. Retrieved September 22, 2019 (German).
  43. ↑ Frank Schwantes: Hamburger Universum-Stall returns to the boxing stage. January 30, 2019, accessed September 27, 2019 .
  44. ^ Süddeutsche Zeitung: Boxing stable boss Özen-Otto - the new universe maker. Retrieved September 22, 2019 .
  45. ↑ Rike Schulz: After the bankruptcy: Ismail Özen wants to save the cult boxing stable "Universum". May 28, 2019, accessed on September 22, 2019 (German).
  46. ↑ a b Badische Zeitung: "We want to bring German boxing back to the top" - Boxing - Badische Zeitung. Retrieved September 22, 2019 .
  47. ↑ a b Berliner Zeitung: New start for Boxstall Universum on TV. Accessed November 23, 2019 (German).
  48. ↑ Malte Müller-Michaelis: New boxers, old problems: How the comeback of the boxing stable Universum should succeed . In: Spiegel Online . November 5, 2019 ( spiegel.de [accessed November 23, 2019]).
  49. ↑ Franko Koitzsch: Off to the ring !: Otto's son-in-law brings boxing celebrities back to Hamburg. September 20, 2019, accessed on September 22, 2019 (German).
  50. ↑ Nils Weber: Hammer !: Özen-Otto makes “Tiger” Michalczewski the head of sports at Universum. In: mopo.de. August 12, 2019, accessed May 15, 2020 .
  51. ↑ Malte Müller-Michaelis: Boxing: A New Universe. In: Spiegel Online . January 31, 2019, accessed May 15, 2020 .
  52. ↑ Boxing live on ZDF again. Retrieved September 22, 2019 .
  53. ↑ Björn Jensen: Boxing: The new universe keeps its promise - quota disappointed. November 10, 2019, accessed on November 23, 2019 (German).