Axel Schulz

Axel Schulz, known as "The Gentle Giant," is a former German professional boxer who competed from 1990 to 1999 and in 2006. Schulz was born on November 9, 1968, in Bad Saarow, Bezirk Frankfurt, East Germany. A heavyweight fighter, Schulz had a professional career that spanned more than 16 years, during which he had a total of 33 fights, with 26 wins, 5 losses, and 1 draw. His career included 11 knockout wins.

Schulz's amateur career drew some accolades. In 1989, he won a silver medal at the European Championships and a bronze medal at the World Championships, both in the heavyweight division. Schulz began his professional career on October 5, 1990, at the age of 21, defeating George Ajio via six-round unanimous decision.

He went on to have a remarkable winning streak, winning 14 more consecutive fights, which included eight wins via stoppage. Schulz's first world title fight occurred on April 22, 1995, at the age of 26, after 23 professional fights. He fought against George Foreman for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title but lost via a 12-round majority decision.

Schulz continued to fight in various professional bouts and won over notable opponents including Kevin McBride, Jose Ribalta, Julius Francis, Jorge Valdes, Richard Mason, and Ricky Parkey. Throughout his career, Schulz had five losses, with two of them in title bouts and three in non-title bouts. He suffered his first loss against Henry Akinwande via a 12-round unanimous decision on May 1, 1993, which ended his 15-fight win streak. Schulz has been stopped two times and lost three times via decision.

Despite his impressive career, Schulz never won any world titles; however, he challenged three times for both the IBF and European heavyweight titles. In 1995, he even got a chance at a rematch against Foreman after he vacated the title, but as Foreman still refused a rematch, Schulz faced Francois Botha instead. Schulz lost via a controversial split decision.

In 1996, Schulz fought Michael Moorer for the vacant IBF title but lost again via split decision. Schulz retired from professional boxing with a record of 26-5-1, including 11 knockout wins and two losses via knockout. His last professional fight was a non-title bout against American boxer Brian Minto on November 25, 2006, which he lost via a sixth-round TKO.

Outside the ring, Schulz worked in television as a summarizer. He married in March 2006 and had two daughters, Paulina Patricia Clara and Amelina Patricia Hedwig, the latter born in January 2010.

Shulz's nickname, "The Gentle Giant," suits him well, considering his reputation for his calm and collected demeanor in the ring. He was known for his excellent footwork, quick hand speed, and effective jabs. Schulz's height of 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) and reach of 193 cm (76 in) were also assets he used to his advantage.

Schulz continued to earn the respect of fans worldwide with his impressive record and impressive fighting style, even though he never won a world title. Decades have passed since "The Gentle Giant" last fought professionally, but his contribution to professional boxing remains unforgettable for those who admire the sport.

Axel Schulz Fight Record