Jurgen Blind is dead! The sport of boxing mourns the loss of an icon. Blin died on Saturday at the age of 79 in a hospital in Reinbek near Hamburg. Blin struggled with kidney problems and often had to go to the hospital for dialysis. Before he died, according to “Bild”, his son Jörg was with him. Blin rose to worldwide fame on December 26, 1971 when he boxed against Muhammad Ali in Zurich, Switzerland. Although he was knocked out in the seventh round, he won the hearts of the fans with his courageous fighting style. Half a year after the fight against Ali, Jürgen Blin won the European title.
He himself was not a talent, as he once emphasized in an interview with “Sport Bild”. But Blin was one “that bit.” He left home when he was just 15. Eventually he got hired on a ship in Hamburg. He came around the world, even traveled by ship to Norway or Canada. Then Blin did an apprenticeship as a butcher. His career ultimately led him to boxing. In 48 fights, Blin, who was born in Burg on Fehmarn, won 31. After his active career, he devoted himself to socially disadvantaged young people. Blin became her boxing coach.
But Jürgen Blin was also active as a businessman outside of boxing. He was the owner of a few snack bars and a bar at Hamburg Central Station. Two years ago, Blin won the lottery. However, large parts of the profit (1 million euros) were stolen in a burglary. His grandson Joscha (24) is also aiming for a boxing career and turned professional in December 2021.
