- A German boxer and a referee fall in love in the middle of their progress
- Referee Karoline Putz revealed how she would act if assigned to her fight
A boxing ring may seem like an impossible place to find love, but that’s exactly what a puncher and a referee achieved in Germany.
Boxer Ardian Krasniqi and journeyman Karoline Putz hope to become a knockout couple after hitting it off, proving there is room for feeling in a ruthless sport.
Krasniqi, 28, is making a name for himself after 10 knockouts in 10 fights and on Saturday he beat Saul Ivan Male to become the WBO intercontinental light heavyweight champion.
And who was at ringside? None other than Putz, Germany’s only professional boxing referee, cheering on her brutal boyfriend.
His prominence increased after he refereed a fight between television presenter Stefan Raab and former boxing champion Regina Halmich, a fight that has been rematched several times since Halmich broke Raab’s nose in 2001.
German boxer Ardian Krasniqi and referee Karoline Putz are in a relationship
Krasniqi is the WBO Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Champion after beating Saul Ivan Male.
The 28-year-old boxer keeps his relationship private and neither of them have commented on the matter.
german exit BILD asked referee Putz what she would do if she were ever assigned to one of Krasniqi’s fights.
“I’m going to cancel,” he said.
In fact, BILD failed to get much out of either lovebird. Both declined to comment on their romantic union.
There is little evidence of their relationship on social media, and Krasniqi did not share a single photo of them together with her 34,000 followers.
Ardian Krasniqi is a rising star and is following in the footsteps of his uncle, Luan Krasniqi, who held the European Heavyweight Title and challenged Lamon Brewster for the WBO World Heavyweight Crown.
The 28-year-old took down Male on Saturday in Ludwigsberg, Germany, to put himself on the continental map.
According to Bild, he is seen as the next big star in German boxing and has the potential to compete for a world title, although Male was his first opponent with a winning record.
Putz has been a referee for a couple of years and first worked as a timekeeper.
Meanwhile, Putz’s career is also progressing well, perhaps thanks to his father Thomas being the president of the German Professional Boxers Association, which licenses referees there.
She started out as a timekeeper, but has been a referee for two years and was most recently in the ring for Nina Meinke’s IBF featherweight title win over Daniela Bermudez.