Felix Sturm: “I would have loved to avoid prison. Alone for my children "

Felix Sturm has had difficult years.

The boxer, who won the world championship for the fifth time two months earlier in Oberhausen, had tested positive for doping in April 2016.

The Cologne public prosecutor's office then started investigations into doping.

These dragged on until Sturm was charged by the public prosecutor's office with self-doping and dangerous bodily harm in autumn 2018.

The latter point because he had competed against his opponent under the influence of doping.

The fact that the Cologne Regional Court decided in January 2019 not to bring charges did not save the now 41-year-old from prison.

In April 2019, Sturm was arrested on suspicion of tax evasion at the Fibo fitness trade fair in Cologne.

It was about combat exchanges that had been smuggled past the German tax authorities via Switzerland.

Sturm came into custody.

He sat there for a good eight months before he was released on bail of 300,000 euros during the ongoing trial.

The verdict against Sturm was pronounced in April: three years in prison for tax evasion and violation of the anti-doping law.

Storm's appeal is currently underway, and there is no appointment yet before the Federal Court of Justice.

If Sturm fails, he would have to go back to prison and serve another two years.

Until then he wants to fight again.

On Saturday, the former world champion will return to the ring for the first time in almost five years.

In Hamburg he competes against Timo Rost, the fight will be broadcast live on BILD.

Question:

Mr. Sturm, on December 19 you will box in Hamburg for the first time since February 2016. Why do you want to fight again at 41?

Felix Sturm:

It was always clear to me that I would keep boxing.

The flame in me never went out.

February 2016: Felix Sturm (left) in his last fight so far against the Russian Fyodor Tschudinow in Oberhausen

Source: pa / dpa / Roland Weihrauch

Question:

How much ring rust did you have to work off after a break of almost four years?

Sturm:

Boxing is like riding a bike, you don't forget that.

I just had to sharpen my “weapons” - for every single fight.

I am in top shape.

Question:

Why are you boxing right now?

Sturm:

Now is the right time for me for such a fight.

I also had other well-paid offers for a fight earlier in the year.

For example at the beginning of 2020. But it didn't fit because I didn't have a clear head.

Now it's right!

Question:

On April 30th you were sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion of around one million euros and for violating the anti-doping law.

You're going against the verdict.

What's the status?

Sturm:

The revision is running.

I accepted the tax ruling, but I do not want to accept the alleged doping offense.

That I doped is not true.

Very easily.

Question:

How do you explain the positive test in 2016?

Sturm:

In the course of the legal proceedings it was made clear that there is a possibility that the positive test was caused by contaminated food supplements or meat.

Experts there also clearly stated that the tiny amount of 30 picograms is not relevant for doping purposes.

Question:

30 picograms are 30 trillionths of a gram.

Sturm:

Still, I tested positive.

I just don't want to live with this thing because I know I've always been a clean athlete.

I've taken 100, 150 tests in my career and they all came back negative.

Question:

There were house searches and interrogations.

Do you feel like a felon?

Sturm:

I think there is no need to answer this question.

I just hope that the revision will go well.

There is also a very important point: I was never banned from this matter for doping.

Neither from the world association WBA nor from the German association BDB.

That speaks for itself.

Sturm (center) with his lawyers Nils Kröber (left) and Andreas von Dahlen in court

Source: pa / dpa / Rolf Vennenbernd

Question:

In the case of tax evasion in 2008 and 2009, parts of battle exchanges flowed past a marketer in Switzerland at the German tax authorities.

How do you feel as a convicted fraudster?

Sturm:

I stand for this mistake and have accepted the penalty accordingly.

I'm responsible for that, but I can also look at myself in the mirror.

Question:

You were in the Cologne-Ossendorf prison from April to December 2019.

What training was possible there?

Sturm:

I ran in free hours.

I did shadow boxing in the cell.

I trained twice a day.

That was okay, given the circumstances.

Question:

How was the diet?

Sturm:

I was able to cook something for myself from what was in purchasing.

I ate rice, vegetables, potatoes and various pasta dishes.

At the weekend we, two inmates and I, treated ourselves to a dessert.

Such little things help you in such a situation.

But of course, prison is prison.

Question:

Who visited you?

Sturm:

My wife and my lawyer.

My family from Bosnia went there twice.

Visits were only allowed once a week.

Question:

Who was your support?

Sturm:

There were many in prison who had no one.

I have my family, wife, children, cousins.

My lawyer Nils Kröber totally knelt for me.

That is also a backing.

Felix Sturm in the ring with his son Mahir after winning the 2016 World Cup

Source: pa / dpa / Roland Weihrauch

Question:

Did all of your friends stand by you, or were they disappointed?

Sturm:

Everyone from whom I expected something was there for me.

I do not have many friends.

Not a handful.

There are a lot of people in my phone book, but when I scroll through it there are maybe three or four that I can really say about: These are my friends.

They were there for my family too.

When you know something like that, that calms you down.

Question:

How difficult was it to keep the work ethic up?

Sturm:

In the end, of course, the motivation was a bit gone.

Especially when the long trial days from November 2019 came with the transport from the prison to the court and back.

I did as much as I could.

When I got home, I recovered for a few days, then I contacted my fitness trainer, Chris Mohr.

Since then I have been training almost permanently.

Question:

How has time changed you?

Sturm:

Of course that shaped me.

This is not something I want to repeat in my life.

Of course I would have loved to avoid that - just for my children and my wife.

Question:

At the trial you said that you were "without assets".

How are you financially?

Sturm:

I don't want to comment on that.

Question:

You boxed on December 19th without a purse.

So is the equivalent of promoting Felix Sturm?

Sturm:

It's not about the money, not about advertising.

The only thing that counts for me is that I box again and get the feeling in the ring.

The rest will come by itself.

I still have a lot to do!

Question:

In October, Arthur Abraham was a guest at an event in your Cologne gymnasium.

Did you talk about a fight?

Sturm:

We talked more about private matters.

But one thing is certain: Arthur is the most attractive opponent in Germany.

But I also have very good options from the US and England.

Question:

This time you are up against Timo Rost (10-0 balance) with a limit of up to 77.5 kilograms.

What was your maximum weight after your time in prison?

Storm:

The highest value was 92 to 92.5 kilograms (

at 1.81 meters; d. Ed.

).

I've worked my way down continuously since then, and I'm now at 81 kilos.

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Question:

How did you lose weight?

Sturm:

I put on the Dolce diet from ex-martial artist Mike Dolce.

He has

looked after

stars like Ronda Rousey and Michael Bisping (

Ultimate Fighting Champions; d. Ed.

).

You have seven small meals a day that are tailored to your workout.

Question:

How hard is it to gain weight at 41?

Sturm:

This special diet works very well.

I can even sleep very well with it.

There used to be nights when I didn't sleep well because of hunger and thirst.

It doesn't exist anymore.

Question:

Where are you preparing?

Sturm:

Mainly in my gym in Cologne.

In addition, I am with Chris Mohr in Aachen twice a week.

Question:

What role does the American Barry Robinson play as a coach for you?

Sturm:

Unfortunately, he cannot travel due to Corona, is in Georgia.

So we make a lot of phone calls, and he also talks to Mo (

Maurice Weber; d. Editor

) about what I should do in training.

I train according to his training plans - in consultation with Chris Mohr.

The interview was conducted for the sports competence center (WELT, "Sport Bild", "Bild") and was first published in "Sport Bild".