Boxing referee falls for fighter – and reveals what she’ll do if assigned to one of his fights
- A German boxer and referee fell for each other during their progress
- Referee Karoline Putz revealed how she would act if assigned to his fight
A boxing ring may seem like a hopeless place to find love, but that’s exactly what a puncher and referee in Germany has done.
Boxer Ardian Krasniqi and official Karoline Putz are hoping to become a knockout couple after spending time together, proving there is room for sentiment in an unforgiving sport.
Krasniqi, 28, is making a name for himself after 10 knockouts in 10 fights and on Saturday he defeated Saul Ivan Male to become the WBO intercontinental light heavyweight champion.
And who was there at ringside? None other than Putz, Germany’s only professional female boxing referee, cheers on her cheeky friend.
Her fame rose after she refereed a fight between male TV presenter Stefan Raab and female former boxing champion Regina Halmich – a failure that has been repeated 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 defeating Saul Ivan Male
The boxer, 28, keeps his relationship private and neither of them have commented on it
German exhaust BIL asked referee Putz what she would do if she were ever assigned to one of Krasniqi’s fights.
“I’m canceling,” she said.
Indeed, BILD failed to get much out of either of the lovebirds. Both declined to comment on their romantic union.
There is little evidence of their relationship on social media, with Krasniqi failing to share a single photo of them together with his 34,000 followers.
Ardian Krasniqi is a rising star, following in the footsteps of his uncle Luan Krasniqi, who won the European heavyweight title and challenged Lamon Brewster for the WBO world heavyweight crown.
The 28-year-old defeated Male on Saturday in Ludwigsberg, Germany, to put himself on the continental map.
According to Bild, he is seen as the next big thing in German boxing and has the potential to challenge for a world title – although Male was his first opponent to have a winning record.
Putz has been a referee for a few years, first as a timekeeper
Meanwhile, Putz’s career is also progressing well – perhaps helped by the fact that her father Thomas is president of the Association of German Professional Boxers, which licenses referees there.
She started as a timekeeper but has been a referee for two years and was recently in the ring for featherweight Nina Meinke’s IBF title victory over Daniela Bermudez.