Gold medalist for East Germany at the 1988 Olympic Summer Games in the
middleweight competition.
After turning professional in 1990, he became IBF World Champion in the
light heavyweight category and defended his title eleven times between
1993 and 1996.
Announced a comeback fight in 2007 against Virgil Hill, the only fighter to
defeat him, which caused mixed reactions in the media and boxing
circles (July 2006).