Willi Fischer serious about boxing return

Fight Production today announced the signing of former WBO “world’ heavyweight title challenger Willi Fischer, who hopes to start the comeback he has quietly been preparing for for almost a full year with his new management this summer. For Fight Production, who have mostly handled foreign boxers over the last few years, the cooperation with Fischer constitutes a return to its German roots and manager Olaf Schroeder said: “We are happy that after long and thorough considerations, Willi has choosen Fight Production to guide his ring return, although he naturally had other options much the same.”

The former WBO Intercontinental, International German and WBB heavyweight titleholder from Frankfurt was always considered a huge natural talent, but lacking in character. Fischer was last seen in a ring in 2005 winning a lackluster decision and then faded from the scene with a still impressive record of 32-6-1 (22 KO’s). But manager Schroeder is convinced that at 35 years of age, Fischer has finally grown up: “Willi had some memorable wins, but we mostly talked about his losses. Someone with his talent should never lose to people like Timo Hoffmann, Rene Monse, Andreas Sidon or Herbie Hide, no discussion. Willi candidly admitted to the mistakes he made, and I was also very surprised to hear in what kind of circumstances he was put by former handlers. All this is behind him now, he’s on the straight and narrow, his life is clean, he has a good team of trainers and he knows this is his last shot. Only time will tell if he left it too late or not, of course.”

Surely, many fans – and Fischer always was a very popular fighter, even from his amateur days – will doubt him, but the man nicknamed “The Ox’ is willing to take the hard route to regain their faith. “I could have cashed in on my name and taken some fights just to make money, but this is not what its about. I can understand anyone who questions me, but I’m working now since last summer and I really want to convince people with actions,” says Fischer, whom Fight Production plans to have box three times before 2007 is out.