Emanuel Odiase: My fight will take boxing to a new level in Germany

Emanuel Odiase is not just another rising star in the boxing world, he’s a symbol of Afro-German excellence, discipline and quiet determination.

Born and raised in Heidelberg to a German mother and Nigerian father, the 26-year-old heavyweight boxer stands tall, literally and figuratively, at 203 cm (6 ft 8 in) and weighing 118 kg. His imposing stature in the ring is matched by his calm intelligence and deep sense of purpose.

Odiase has a date with history on 19 July in Heidelberg when he fights Tomáš Šálek for the German international heavyweight champion. The match has been described as the biggest boxing event in Germany this year.

For Odiase, the ring in Heidelberg will not just be a battlefield, it will be a place to honour his roots and showcase the power of focused ambition. His boxing journey began at the age of 16, when his older brother, Dominique Odiase — now one of his two managers — introduced him to the sport.
From his very first sparring session, thrown into the ring with no prior experience, he showed raw talent and fearlessness. That early spark turned into serious dedication, and he has since carved a name for himself as one of the world’s most promising heavyweights.

Since turning professional in 2023, Odiase has remained undefeated, boasting seven wins — six of them by knockout. He has already shared the ring in sparring with heavyweight elites such as Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder and Oleksandr Usyk. Each experience has sharpened his skills and strengthened his conviction: “I want to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world,” he has declared.

This is a fighter whose story will punch far beyond the ring, his manager Florian Winter says. “We are convinced that Emanuel is the athlete who will bring boxing back into the spotlight in Germany,” he said.

The boxing community in Germany is really looking up to this Nigerian-German to revive the fortunes of the sport in the country. After the retirement of the Klitchko brothers in 2017, there haven’t been big fights in Germany and the popularity of the punching game has been waning.

Odiase is currently the biggest sensation in German boxing, arriving at just the right moment — as Germany looks for a new sporting hero in the tradition of legends like Steffi Graf, Michael Schumacher, and Boris Becker.

Ahead of the fight, The African Courier talked with Emanuel Odiase in an exclusive interview. With humility and resolve, he shares his vision not only for himself but for the generations of young people who see in him a role model.

The African Courier: How does fighting in your hometown add to the pressure or motivation, and what does it mean for your supporters and family to see you compete for the national title where you grew up?
Emanuel Odiase: It’s amazing. It’s like you said, a motivation. I think pressure, of course, because a lot is at stake. And all my people having put in so much work. So, of course, there’s pressure, but I like the saying that pressure makes diamonds. So, under pressure, I can perform even better. So, I’m just prepared to go in and do the job, get the business done, and then we go on to the next one.

How was it growing up in Heidelberg and what are your fond memories of your childhood growing up in the city?
It’s a beautiful city, definitely. And for me, it was good growing up; because I have three older brothers, I was never lonely. I always had someone to talk to. And a lot of my time growing up I spent on the football field, because we all played football. It was a big dream of my father that we became successful football players. My father comes from Nigeria, from Benin-City, and he sees a lot of kids such as Jayjay Okocha and others like him of the golden generation of Nigerian footballers who became big in the game. Now, I’m here. I am in boxing and there’s no looking back.

Emanuel, as someone with both German and Nigerian roots who grew up in Heidelberg, how has your Afro-German identity shaped your approach to boxing?
It’s an interesting question because I didn’t really have that much connection to the Nigerian and African culture when I was growing up. But then one time we flew over to Manchester, where my uncle lives. And everything they did over there, like the food, the culture, the vibes – everything was African, Nigerian. I was like 16 or 15 years old. That was the first time that I got in touch with my African side. And I loved it. And ever since then, I have even become more interested. I listen to the music. And in terms of boxing, I think just it’s good because I got a lot of rhythm from my African side, but also the strictness from the German side. So it’s a good mix and I have the successful formula.

I have read a lot about how you started boxing. Your brother Dominique took you to the gym, and you started sparring with other boxers, even without any protection, apart from the gloves. And that’s how your journey began. At which moment did it become clear to you that you were going to be a boxer?
I think that must be somewhere around the time of my first fight. It was more like me going into the ring for the first time fighting and just loving the feeling of it.

You have sparred with great names in the sport. You have sparred with Oleksandr Usyk, Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua. What will you say you have learned from these boxers?
Professionalism. All of them are hard workers. I went into their training camps with the idea of just learning and taking notes of how I can transfer what I have observed into my own camp. Professionalism is what I have learnt. It’s positive. You can learn a lot from those guys.

And if I may ask, who will you describe as your idol in boxing?
Muhammad Ali. Great man! Great both inside and outside the ring. Yeah, he’s my biggest inspiration. Like you know, he did a lot for people of our colour. He gave everyone a lot of motivation.

Now, what does it feel preparing for a fight that has been rightly described as the boxing match of the year?
I feel blessed. It’s an opportunity, and we’re thankful for opportunities. It’s just going to be another day the sun will rise and I have to perform. I’m gonna perform very well on the 19th of July. Because, yeah, like I said, pressure makes diamonds.

What would you like to achieve on the 19th of July? Oh, let me put it this way. What do you predict that this match will be for your career and for boxing in Germany? What do you think this match on the 19th of July will do for boxing in Germany?
I think it will uplift German boxing. It will take it to a new level because we’re not here just for one night. We’re here to stay. We’re here to dominate the business. And we’re very serious. There’s no bullshitting. It’s just going to be very professional. It’s going to be very good. I think the TV will like it. We can give platforms to everyone, platform to people that have talent, and that’s what I’m really looking forward to.
I think it’s going to be very good.

You have declared that your ambition is to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion. How long do you predict it will take you to achieve your dream?
2027 is the year that I’ll become world champion. And then 2028 we’re going to collect more belts, and hopefully, at the end of 2028 I’ll be undisputed. We’ll see, everything is in God’s hands, but all I can do is work hard, continue on my journey, and believe in God’s journey for me. And yes, God willing, it will happen in due time. Everything is in God’s hands.

On the road to achieving this dream, what do you see as your biggest challenges, both within the ring and outside the ring, and how are you preparing to overcome them?
The biggest challenge could just be myself. Honestly, it could be myself just losing focus and getting distracted, because there’s going to be a lot of attention, a lot of things that can pull my focus away from the thing that matters the most right now, and that’s boxing. So, I just need to stay focused. Stay on my journey, the journey that God has in store for me. And if I do that, I’ll be successful. I don’t have no doubt, zero doubt.

I’ve watched your interviews online, and I notice that every time you mention God. How religious are you? What’s the role of religion in your life?
I’m a big believer in God. That’s the way. I believe that God has something in store for each and every one of us, and if we align with the journey that He has in store for us, then we can have great, great results. And that’s one big thing I believe in, and I will always stick to it. And then I can only encourage everyone reading this to definitely follow the journey that God has in store for us, because you will feel it. There’s a certain thing like your purpose. It’s in your heart, but you just gotta find your purpose and follow it. And it will be great.

I know you are somebody who thinks beyond the ring. What do you see as your purpose beyond the ring? How important is it for you to conduct your life, your business, in a way that serves as a role model for others?
Heavy is the head that wears the crown. So, let’s say I’m in a high position. Yes, that comes with great responsibility. So, it’s a blessing. I just have to use it wisely. But for me, what’s always been important is charity work. And I want to do a lot of things that help make life easier, better for young kids all over the world. I want to start in Nigeria, and then take it all over Africa and then go all over the world.

What do you expect of your fans in the Afro-German community on 19 July?
I wish they will come and see a fellow brother go to work. It’s going to be an exciting fight.

Femi Awoniyi

19 July 2025, Heidelberg – Boxing. Entertainment. Charity
The Emanuel Odiase versus Tomáš Šálek fight on 19 July 2025 promises to be a groundbreaking event that fuses top-level boxing, entertainment and social impact. At its heart is the German heavyweight title fight. But this is more than a boxing night — it’s a full-scale show with live performances by stars like Shindy and Ardian Bujupi, artistic acts and high-end staging. According to the organisers, the event will redefine boxing for a new generation: modern, emotional and unforgettable.
Get your tickets now HERE