Peter Burkhardt from Oberursel: With a sore throat to the World Cup title!

Peter Burkhardt from Oberursel: With a sore throat to the World Cup title!

November 30, 2025 will go down in boxing history books. Peter Burkhardt, 58 years old from Oberursel, won the title as the first world champion in the Master Division of the World Boxing Union (WBU). This triumph took place in the Rangauhalle in Markt Erlbach, where around 400 spectators, including Burkhardt's family, followed the event closely. What a competition!

Despite an annoying cold that plagued him with a sore throat, Burkhardt faced challenger Thomas Koch from Leipzig. Koch already has an impressive record of 61 fights in his career, so the encounter was anything but easy. Burkhardt made it his mission to avenge his only loss to Koch in 2023, and he did so impressively.

The fight and its meaning

In an exciting duel that lasted six rounds of two minutes each, Burkhardt was able to send Koch to the ground in the second round and ultimately win the fight unanimously on points. This was the fruitful reward of his intensive training of two hours a day, six times a week. Not bad for a man who only started boxing at the age of 50, having previously gained experience with judo and Thai boxing.

What thrilled the spectators was not just the fight itself, but also the sporting fairness. After the fight, Thomas Koch congratulated his opponent and immediately asked for a rematch in 2026. “This shows that friendship and respect also count in boxing,” said an enthusiastic spectator after the event.

Future prospects

Now Burkhardt plans to recover from his cold before tackling new challenges. “I'm motivated, but health comes first,” he explained shortly after the fight. The world champion belt already has a place of honor in his car repair shop, where his wife Jana also works. A welcome success for a couple who have overcome many struggles together in life.

The world of boxing has many facets, and the WBU is just one of several major organizations that play a role in the sport. Others, such as the World Boxing Association (WBA) and the World Boxing Council (WBC), also set standards for athletes. If Burkhardt manages to defend his title as WBU world champion, it could take him to even higher spheres of boxing, because Wikipedia points out that champions often strive for even bigger titles that come with corresponding performance.

Peter Burkhardt will certainly not soon forget his unexpected triumph in Markt Erlbach. A man who distinguished himself through his fighting spirit and passion, even though he followed himself into the ring with a sore throat. All you can say is: hats off!