Heroes at Work

Champion trainer Ulli Wegner (65) is from the former GDR. He was raised with discipline and order, and his boxers call him 'The General.' He trains up to 15 athletes in different weight classes at any one time, but only one world champion: Armenian middle-weight boxer Arthur Abraham (27). 'King Arthur' has a killer punch. He achieved rapid success but never really learned discipline. The coach almost despairs of him because he’s endowed with the most talent and the least punctuality. But Ulli Wegner and his begrudging world champion can only continue to win if they work together. Wegner makes his boxer treat him with polite formality, keeps him at a distance to maintain his authority, and repeatedly tries to strike him where it hurts to provoke him to new heights of performance.In the fourth round of his last fight Arthur was badly hurt but boxed on, fought round after round, and won. And his coach let it happen, not breaking off the fight so the world champion could keep his title. It was a risk for the legendary trainer, for his reputation and his image. The sportsman became a hero because his trainer had faith in him. In his strength, his fighting spirit. It's what binds them together. After his legendary fight, Arthur Abraham had to take a long break. The media were falling over themselves, and talk shows invited him on because now he was someone special. The King let his hair down. Four months later the next fight approaches. But Abraham is out of shape and far from being able to fulfill any expectations. He is eight kilos overweight and has fallen behind in his training group. It rests on his coach to restore the athlete to something the world wants to see out there in the boxing ring: an invincible king, a hero. The pressure also weighs heavily on Wegner.Four weeks before the fight and nerves are frayed. 'You can't possibly win like this,' the trainer barks mercilessly at his charge as he spars. During the lactate test he nearly despairs. Can the sportsman make a comeback or was there more broken in the last fight than a couple of bones?