Heinz Klupp shaped boxing and kickboxing in the district like no other.
Erdinger also played tennis and ice hockey and also tried his hand at karate.
Erding - He is an athlete through and through.
Heinz Klupp tried a lot in his younger years - tennis, ice hockey, karate, boxing - and ultimately stuck to kickboxing.
The now 64-year-old has won countless titles there, including becoming world champion in London in 1983.
But he has earned almost more merits as a coach.
He has shaped countless fighters and now, with his “fighting cats”, ensures that children have fun and exercise.
Whereby he emphasizes: "I never really had a real coach for kickboxing - I basically stole everything."
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Tennis is the first sport that Heinz Klupp devotes himself to more intensely as a boy.
Together with Peter Scheeser and the Brunner brothers Walter and Dietmar, he swings the racket in the offspring of TC Erding.
But at the age of 14 he discovered his love for karate.
The coach is Gerd Rombowski, the “great father” of the Erdinger martial arts scene.
“I liked learning to fight,” recalls Klupp.
“And also the discipline and strict training that didn't exist in tennis.” The Erdinger boy does well as a fighter or later as a competitor.
And he recognizes: "Success drives and inspires."
During his first outing with the seniors, Klupp finished third at the Bavarian championships in Dorfen - and had to laugh when he said: “Grandma was there too, but then went out.
'I couldn't do it badly, if there was a problem,' she said. ”Erdinger wins Bavarian champion three times in a row, then goes to the Germans, where he remains unsuccessful for two years:“ Those were my years of training. ” Third year it is enough for the vice championship, "but that was already the time when I eyed other martial arts".
German champion as a newcomer
The karateka have their dojo in the basement of the clubhouse of TSV Erding, and boxers train next door.
Klupp took part a couple of times and realized: “I can keep up.” A little later he became Upper Bavarian boxing champion.
“Back then it was a great team with lots of good people who could hold their own,” he remembers and emphasizes: “I got the necessary strength from Bernhard Rötzer.” Martin Rötzer (“Heinz was ours Guru - a real human catcher ”), Conny Mittermeier and Peter Lutzny.
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Victory pose: Heinz Klupp pronouncing the verdict after one of his numerous victories.
Archive photo.
© Konrad Kressierer
Karate has meanwhile developed into "Modern Karate", the full contact version that later becomes kickboxing and was already organized in the WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organizations).
Lutzny already did boxing back then and was encouraged to kickboxing by Klupp (“You have a heart, come to kickboxing”).
Lutzny's curiosity is aroused ("Heinz has always been able to inspire everyone for what he does").
Everyone is assigned to training battles with Klupp: club mates, friends, brother Michael and his friends.
And the plan worked: in 1978 Heinz Klupp became a newcomer German champion in full contact karate - and was nominated for the world championship.
What made him so strong?
“I've always benefited from my size / weight ratio, at 67 kilos and 1.80 meters tall.
And I never had to look at my weight, never had to boil. "
In November 1978, WAKO organized the first ever World Kickboxing World Cup.
Together with Gerd Rombowski as supervisor, Heinz Klupp travels to Berlin, where things get down to business in the Germany Hall.
Erdinger climbs into the ring three times, beating an American and a Dutchman, before losing in the semifinals to the eventual world champion from Norway.
"I was the only one to make ends meet," he says proudly, but at the same time looks back critically: "My ass wasn't in my pants yet - I was more of a late developer and would have needed two more severe winters."
"Four weeks of bruises on the thighs"
A little later, Heinz Klupp takes a break from kickboxing.
He discovered the savate (French for "worn shoe"), the French (harder) form of kickboxing.
When he competed in his first Savate tournament in Paris, he was shocked when he came into the Coubertin Hall, which was packed with 5000 spectators.
He suffered a narrow defeat against the French champions, but won a few fights during the tournament.
"However, after that I had bruises on my thighs for about four weeks," he recalls with a laugh.
“In this martial arts you can also use lowkicks, that is, step on the thighs.” Nevertheless, he has tasted blood and is involved in several other tournaments: “We were almost professionals.
Flight, hotel, food, everything was paid for by the organizers. "
I had a very hard kick for my weight, especially my front kick was a weapon.
Heinz Klupp on his great strength
But because Erdinger is a very down-to-earth guy, he stopped the Savate career - and turned to ice hockey first (see box).
But in 1982 he felt like kickboxing again and the ice hockey stick was put in the corner.
The Erdinger subsequently wins all ranking tournaments and qualifies for the World Cup, which at that time was only held every two years.
“I knew it would be my last World Cup,” he says.
And so he travels together with his specialty Martin Rötzer, who competes in the heavyweight division, to the title fights in London in 1983.
After a bye in round one, Klupp wins against an Irishman after being canceled and against an Austrian on points and is in the semi-finals.
He moves into the final without a fight because his opponent cannot compete due to injury.
Local hero Osborne is waiting there.
“I didn't need to go for points,” emphasizes Klupp.
“The hall was full.
I didn't have any friends in the audience then.
I could only win by dropping out. ”The Englishman is a very strong boxer, so the German doesn't rely on his fists, but above all on his feet.
“I had a very hard kick for my weight, especially my front kick was a weapon,” says Klupp.
Erdinger beats until he can no longer feel his toes - and he is successful.
In the third and last round, the fight is broken off, Heinz Klupp is world champion - just like Martin Rötzer.
After that, Klupp competes in a few galas before concentrating on association and coaching work.
In 1987 Erdinger was national coach at the World Championships in Munich - and not only that: "I also organized the boxing rings, we borrowed them from Eichenried and Erding."
The farm becomes a KBV forge
Meanwhile, Croatian Ivan Steko, father of Pavlica (15) and Mladen (13), is trying to open a martial arts school in Munich.
As a trainer, he wants to bring his compatriot Branco Zikatic to the state capital, but he does not get a work permit.
Steko asks his old martial arts friend Michael Kuhr from Berlin for support, who in turn recommends Heinz Klupp.
"Martial artists help each other," says Erdinger, who hires a trainer at the Steko martial arts center.
Eventually the two partners run the gym together.
Klupp brings the Steko boys who have done Taekwondo up to now, have taught kickboxing and leads them to the German championship.
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Technically perfect: Strikes and kicks with the foot were the great strength of Heinz Klupp (left).
© Private
At the same time, Heinz Klupp, together with Peter Lutzny, began to create a foothold in Erding and was converting an old farm on Sigwolfstrasse.
“We toiled for almost three years and shed a lot of sweat,” recalls Klupp.
Ivan Steko does the plastering work and says: “You helped me, I'll help you.” When Steko's sons Pavlica and Mladen are old enough to start the martial arts school, Klupp dropped out.
"Ivan was sad, but I explained to him: Munich is not my place - I love Erding." And his great love is in Erding too: in 1995 he married his Sigrid, who brought two daughters into the marriage (Fanny and Lisa ) - In 1996 daughter Lena was born.
And so the former architecture student (“That still annoys me today that I didn't finish it”) and insurance salesman created a new mainstay with his own KBV gym.
"Many of my students, such as Mark Wieser and Günter Scheller, have now founded their own martial arts schools," says Klupp proudly.
“I trained them, they teach according to my style.” With the “Klupp style”, Erdinger forges many more successful kickboxers at home.
For example Martin Rötzer, Conny Mittermeier, Christian Bauer, Erich and Hans Januschkowitz, Fred Rätzke, Ewald Voithenleitner, Karl-Heinz Eberhardt, Günter Mohaupt and of course Peter Lutzny.
The two are still best friends and business partners to this day.
Lutzny, who for his part can look back on a remarkable career as a boxer and kickboxer, has been taking over the position of performance trainer in the KBV since 2000.
This allows Klupp to take care of other important things in KBV Erding.
However, he is still happy to provide the competition team with help and advice.
“I haven't known a better trainer than Peter Lutzny for years when it comes to high-performance kickboxing training.
If I were young again, I would like him to train me, ”enthuses Klupp.
New main task: "Fighting cats"
Many great fighters are formed in the KBV forge.
So also the meanwhile 19-time professional world champion Dominik Haselbeck ("He came to us as a folk festival boxer"), or in the amateur area Kian Golpira ("The first Erdinger world champion after Martin Rötzer"), Robert Bayerstorfer (3rd at the World Cup), Christian Bauer, who died far too early, was German champion and was fifth at the World Cup ("He just lost to the world champion"), Tatjana Obermeier, who was third at the European Championship and World Cup ("Your hard work will definitely be rewarded even more") ), Junior European Champion Emma Winter and Simon Zachenhuber, who is now on the road in the professional boxing circus.
Not least because of this, Heinz Klupp is inducted into the “Hall of Fame” at WAKO.
And also because he was one of the driving forces behind the fact that kickboxing is now an official member of the BLSV and the DOSB.
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Valentin Busch - From toddler to grizzly
For a few years now, Klupp's main focus has been on his "fighting cats".
“That is my main task now,” he says.
"A movement and behavior concept for children of preschool age".
Because he knows: "Parents want self-confident children who are sporty and move." And what is at least as important: "The shy ones should be stronger, the wild ones restrained." The fact that this concept is successful and accepted is proven by the fact that there are already 60 partner martial arts schools.
The 64-year-old is not yet thinking of quitting, but a potential successor to the “Fighting Cats” is already ready with daughter Lena, who recently completed her bachelor's degree in health science.
"Then I'll just watch," he says and laughs.
A Heinz Klupp who no longer works in or on the ring?
Hardly imaginable.
Wolfgang Krzizok
"Hans Huber behind you as a defender, that was the highlight"
In the mid-1970s, Heinz Klupp discovered ice hockey for himself.
“At first only as a pond player,” as he reports.
Back then there was no ice rink in Erding.
That won't open until 1978.
In the same year the ice hockey department of TSV Erding is founded.
Klupp is there, and when a team first registered for play in 1979, he was on the team.
“I wasn't a top performer, but I was very disciplined,” he recalls.
"I just did what our player-coach Hansi Dorn told me." With almost nothing but ice hockey newbies, TSV Erding finished last in the state league, which was the lowest division at the time.
“Then the Landshut players came,” says Klupp, and things are looking up in terms of sport.
“We were the Volkssturm,” says Klupp with a laugh, “so Gerhard Tritschler, Raimund Geißler and me.
The Szill brothers Helmut and Franz were our defenders ”.
And he adds: "For us it was always: 'Don't risk anything, boy, we are happy if nothing happens'." Which translates to: If this row doesn't score a goal, then it has done its job.
Things went even better two years later with ice hockey legend Hans Huber as player-coach.
“When you had Hans behind you as a defender, that was a highlight,” enthuses Klupp.
“He always said: 'Put your bat on the ice, you don't need to think, I'll do that'.
And then the passes came right on the bat. ”In the end, TSV Erding is first in the regional league and is promoted to the Bayern league.
"That was the end for me, because I had so much self-assessment that I knew that was too high for me."
Even if Heinz Klupp is now fully back in kickboxing, he can not completely abandon ice hockey at first, because TSV Erding has a 1b team in the state league.
"We were so bad back then, we celebrated every time we conceded under ten goals," he says with a laugh.
And then the goalkeeper injured himself during a point game, and there was no substitute.
Trainer Werner Hingerl asks: "Who has the best reaction?"
Everyone points to the martial artist Klupp, who then has to get between the posts.
In 1982 he ended his ice hockey career.
His conclusion: "It was a lot of fun."
Wk
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The founding ice hockey team of TSV Erding: This team went hunting for points for the first time in the 1979/80 season - and was last in the national league.
In addition to Heinz Klupp (back, 6th from left), the team included cycling ace Karl Pfeiffer (front, 3rd from left), who is 43rd in our Top 100 ranking.
Archive image.
© Erdinger / Dorfener Anzeiger
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