German boxing just lost a true legend. Michael Timm, the coach who built champions in Hamburg gyms and national team camps, has died at 62 after battling cancer. The news came from his old fighter Jürgen Brähmer, who posted on Instagram:
“Today we lost a wonderful human being. Timi enriched my life with his warmth, his laugh, and his kindness. I’ll carry you forever in my heart. Rest in peace, dear trainer.”
This one hurts. Timm wasn’t just another trainer. He was the guy behind so many of the German names that carried belts through the 2000s and 2010s. Felix Sturm, Ruslan Chagaev, Jürgen Brähmer — all sharpened under Timm’s eye.
From Hagenow to Hamburg: Fighter, Then Teacher
Born in Hagenow in 1962, Michael Timm was no gym fraud. He fought. Won the European title at light middleweight in 1985. That’s credibility in the corner right there.
He switched sides after hanging them up and became one of the pillars at Universum. Started as an assistant to Fritz Sdunek, then grew into his own. Ask anyone who came through those Hamburg gyms — Timm’s voice carried weight.
The Night He Beat the Giant
2007: Ruslan Chagaev vs Nikolai Valuev. The Russian Giant at 7ft tall, unbeaten, looking untouchable. It was Timm who laid out the tactics that broke Valuev down and made Chagaev a heavyweight world champion. That night alone stamped Timm as one of the sharpest boxing brains Germany’s ever had.
But it wasn’t just the pros. With the national team, Timm guided Germany to Olympic medals — Vitali Tajbert in 2004, Artem Harutyunyan in 2016. He knew how to get fighters peaking at the right time.
Loved Because He Was Human
Plenty of coaches win fights. Timm won respect. Brähmer stayed by his side to the very end, saying Timm’s last words to him were: “Grüß alle schön” (“Send greetings to everyone”).
Ulli Wegner put it straight: “Despite all his success, Timmi stayed grounded.”
Ex-Universum boss Peter Hanraths remembered: “He drove daily from Schwerin to Hamburg and was never late. He lived for the gym.”
That’s who Timm was. A worker. A coach. A man who gave as much humanity outside the ropes as knowledge inside them.
East Side Boxing extends its deepest condolences to the Timm family.
Michael Timm Career Timeline
-
1962 – Born in Hagenow, Germany
-
1985 – Wins European Championship at light middleweight as an amateur
-
1990s – Leaves Schwerin, Joins Universum Boxing Gym in Hamburg as assistant to Fritz Sdunek
-
2004 – Coaches Vitali Tajbert to Olympic bronze in Athens
-
2007 – Trains Ruslan Chagaev to upset win over Nikolai Valuev for the WBA heavyweight title
-
2016 – Guides Artem Harutyunyan to Olympic bronze in Rio
-
2025 – Passes away at age 62 after cancer battle
Fighters Trained by Michael Timm
-
Jürgen Brähmer – WBA light heavyweight world champion
-
Felix Sturm – Middleweight world champion
-
Ruslan Chagaev – WBA heavyweight world champion
-
Vitali Tajbert – Olympic bronze medalist, later WBC super featherweight champion
-
Artem Harutyunyan – Olympic bronze medalist, lightweight contender
-
Alexander Dimitrenko – Heavyweight contender
- Luan Krasniqi – Heavyweight