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Team Chagaev Mourns Fritz
Sdunek
WBA world heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev and his
promoter Timur Dugazaev are shocked of the passing away of
their trainer and longtime friend Fritz Sdunek.
"I just cannot believe it and cannot find words to express
my grief", says Chagaev. "We have been in the gym together
just a few days ago. Fritz was not only the best boxing
coach Germany has ever seen but also and foremost a great
and unique human being and a role model in all aspects of
life. I am proud to have known him and to have worked with
him. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. It is a
very, very sad day for boxing."
Timur Dugazaev talked to Sdunek only two days before he
unexpectedly passed away at a hospital in Hamburg. "Fritz
was part of our family. I admired and respected him and had
lots of fun with him at the same time", adds Dugazaev. "I
spoke to him when he was in hospital. He told me he was
feeling well and that he was looking forward to being
released within the next days. We talked about my fight last
weekend. He congratulated me to my win, told me what I did
right and where I can improve. He was in good mood. I still
can't understand that he is not with us anymore."
Sdunek has taken over as head coach for both Ruslan Chagaev
and Timur Dugazaev in September. In November the team was in
training camp in Zinnowitz starting to prepare Chagaev for
his first title defense of his second reign as WBA world
champion.
"Of course, this is a major setback for our whole team.
Fritz can never be replaced - not as a trainer but even more
important as the great man that he was", states Dugazaev.
"He was such a gentleman, truly one of a kind. All Chechnya
is mourning his death. We miss him already. But of course,
we will continue fighting for him. Spiritually he will
always be in our corner. We will always remember him as our
friend, father and brother."
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