Boxing Boom in Germany

When German boxer Henry Maske steps back into the ring this month to fight cruiserweight world champion Virgil Hill, it won't be in the famous boxing town of Las Vegas. The Bavarian capital, Munich will host the event on March 31.

It's hardly surprising that a German location was chosen to host the event at a time when the world is boxing is buffeted by the winds of change. In the good old days, promoters like Don King and Bob Arum did the planning, and fighters like Muhammad Ali and Evander Holyfield did the winning.

But today, current title holders Nikolai Valuev and Wladimir Klitschko have trained and fought in Germany, consistently drawing millions of TV viewers as well as millions of euros.

This is mainly thanks to the business skills of German promoters like Berlin's Sauerland Event, housed in an old sports park next to the famous Olympic Stadium. It runs an impressive promotion machine for its boxers to ensure Sauerland's fights are a success.

"Our last fight was Nikolai Valuev in Basel and we did a lot of public relations with him," said Sauerland's media director Heiko Mallwitz. In the lead-up to the fight, the promoter organized a media day once a week with Valuev, as there were so many media requests.

"There was big interest, a lot of articles in the newspapers and we got around eight million spectators," Mallwitz said. "So you can see the relationship."

Keeping the boxers focused

Promotion work is critical to a fighter's success. But when you have a world heavyweight champion like "The Russian Giant" Valuev on your hands, it can be a tough balance between pushing him to do media work and limiting the distractions to his training, Mallwitz said.

"He has to concentrate on his work, on his training, and only the important things can reach him," Mallwitz said. "He doesn't like it, but he has found a way to do this work because he understands it's important for him, and for his career."

And creating real careers for boxers is Sauerland Event's aim. Before he got his title shot, the 214-centimeter (seven feet) tall Valuev spent two years being built up as a boxer and public figure by fighting in smaller events put on by Sauerland.

Television plays a central role

All of the company's frequent fight nights are shown by German television broadcaster ARD. It's a relationship that's an important source of money and a chance to showcase young fighters, said Chris Meyer, Sauerland's managing director.

"We're signing fighters now at a very early stage in their career," Meyer said. "Normally, they turn pro with us."

According to Meyer, establishing these fighters in the market means keeping them active and getting them fights to build them up. Matchmaking is a prime concern for the promoter.

"We coordinate this, as we have a long-term output deal with ARD," Meyer said. "They trust us with the matchmaking and our building up the fighters, so that they are not disappointed -- and we are able to produce a show that will make our fighters known to the public."

But Meyer doesn't agree that today's boxing business is simply providing good television viewing.

"Boxing has two sides," Meyer said. "Of course, you have the boxing on the one hand, which is the sport we are in, but boxing has a business side also." He said both the people who box wanted to earn money and those who make sure that they do so.

"That's my job," Meyer said. But the hard work is left up to the boxer.

"He still has to win the fight himself, so we can't help there," Meyer said.

Boxing is no longer "only in America"

The boxing business is going so well in Germany that American super-promoter Don King is getting involved.

The number one name in boxing impresarios for more than 30 years, King promoted the legendary fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in 1974. The man with the gravity-defying hairstyle has put on multi-million dollar fights for names like Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Bernard Hopkins -- and he's now joined forces with Sauerland Event.

Heavyweight boxing has lacked a big name draw in recent years. And King sees Valuev as the man to revive the weight class in the American popular imagination. Sauerland, on the other hand, sees King as an experienced hand who can help their fighter crack the US market.

Up until now, Don King's signature catchphrase has been "only in America." But it looks like that might need some updating.