René Weller

René Weller
Weller in 2009
Personal information
NationalityGerman
Born(1953-11-21)21 November 1953
Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany
Died22 August 2023(2023-08-22) (aged 69)
Sport
SportBoxing
Medal record
Men's amateur boxing
Representing  West Germany
World Championships
1978 Belgrade Lightweight
World Cup
1979 New York Lightweight
European Championships
1977 Halle Lightweight
1979 Cologne Lightweight

René Weller (21 November 1953 – 22 August 2023) was a German boxer. He competed for West Germany in the men's featherweight event at the 1976 Summer Olympics, defeating Serge Thomas of France before losing to Gheorghe Ciochina of Romania.[1] In 1979 he was runner-up at the European Amateur Championship, losing the final against Viktor Demyanenko from the USSR.[2]

Weller became professional in 1981 and won the German pro title in the lightweight class. He also won the European lightweight title in 1983 and 1988.[2]

Outside of his sport career, he also appeared in some German boxing films such as Macho Man and Ebbies Bluff. He also produced a line of belts and jewelry and modeled for nude photographs in multiple magazines. He also appeared in multiple television shows and had a successful career as a singer. In 1999 was sentenced to seven years in prison for cocaine dealing, dealing stolen goods, and forgery, but was released early in 2003.[2]

Weller went on to found a boxing gym in his hometown of Pforzheim. He developed dementia in 2014[2] and died on 22 August 2023 at the age of 69.[3]

References

  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "René Weller Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d "Olympedia – René Weller". www.olympedia.org. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  3. ^ "Boxen: Früherer Box-Europameister René Weller ist tot" [Boxing: Former European boxing champion René Weller is dead]. Zeit (in German). 23 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.