Kai Ebel
RTL legend becomes the ring announcer at the boxing event in Belgrade
Kai Ebel is looking forward to his new role.
© imago images / Nordphoto
Most know him as the face of Formula 1, but Kai Ebel’s real love is boxing. Now a very special job awaits him.
When the name Kai Ebel (56) is mentioned, millions of Germans inevitably think of Formula 1. He shaped the Formula 1 reporting on RTL like hardly any other journalist. The 56-year-old’s heart beats for a completely different sport: boxing. You could even call him a champion of boxing in the German media landscape. He brought the sport to RTL back then. The Mönchengladbach resident with the fancy shirts saw, met and accompanied them all. From Graciano Rocchigiani to Axel Schulz, to Sven Ottke, Markus Beyer, the Klitschkos and of course Henry Maske.
“Boxing is simply a lovable classic”
“I love boxing. Boxing is simply a lovable classic,” enthuses Ebel in an interview. “I’ve been boxing all my life and I’m still a member of my home club in Mönchengladbach. I got up at night for Muhammed Ali’s fights,” remembers the 56-year-old.
Next Friday he will return to his roots: He will join the ring on May 21, 2021 Petko’s Boxing Event at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Belgrade the honor. A task that Ebel treats with great respect. “Since you act primarily as a presenter for the TV viewer, it is of course something completely different. As a ring announcer, you have a much more ‘official’ position. I can’t be that flippant about that,” laughs the sports reporter.
Nick “Mr. Business” Hannig (34) fights the main fight. He defends the WBC International title against the Latvian Ralfs Vilcans. If the fight ends in favor of Hannig, who is ten times unbeaten, promoter Alexander Petkovic (40) promises a fight in Dubai this year. In the emirate on the Persian Gulf the Oktoberfest is to take place this year – in the old Bavarian tradition maybe even with marquee boxes in the “Kaif Alm”, named after Kaif Energy Drink. “We are very happy to be the main sponsor of the event,” said founder Waldemar Schlemmer.
“I only garnish”
Ebel has been enthusiastic about the 34-year-old Hannig’s boxing style for a long time and wants to really heat up the audience before the eagerly anticipated fight. “I want to cheer people on, get them excited about the fight. The boxers are the main course, in the ring the gourmet, I just garnish.” Nevertheless, the audience can also expect a “little bit of Kai Ebel”. Whether in a stylish tuxedo or in a brightly colored shirt, the 56-year-old does not want to reveal that yet. “The audience should expect that they will recognize me,” he says mysteriously.
The fact that the coronavirus pandemic has put sports, cultural and leisure events completely on hold in recent months hit Ebel hard, both privately and professionally. “My life is events, spectators, the closeness to the athletes, to the drivers. In the past I often gave them lucky charms. Social distance is completely contrary to human nature. But what has to be, has to be.”
He trusts this “Let’s Dance” couple to win
Instead of standing in the pit lane, Ebel finally tried his hand at the dance floor. The 56-year-old signed on for the current “Let’s Dance” season. “This discipline that you have to bring up there will strengthen me for my whole life,” the 56-year-old is sure. Even if he was eliminated in the fourth episode, of course he still follows the show. “I’ll even be back at the final. I think Vadim and Nicolas will win,” predicts Ebel. “For me, the two tell the best story, they have the better choreographies. I trust both of them to win. Valentina Pahde is a serious competition.”
And what else can his fans expect from him this year? “I’m currently building my own YouTube channel ‘Kai-Lights’. In terms of content, there is a lot about myself, about fashion – everything that defines me. Boxing will of course also be an issue,” reveals Ebel. “I’m also writing my book and my own stage program ’30 – Years Backstage ‘. There are also other television and sports projects coming up, but of course you have to wait and see how the pandemic develops.”
Now is his job as a ring announcer. All fights are open to fans on May 21st Experience it live on “Bild plus”. In addition to Hannig, the undefeated Sarah “Babyface” Bormann and the Wetzla heavyweight Emir Ahamtovic will enter the ring.