Tatjana Genrich is set to make her professional boxing debut next month. The former Miss Germany swaps the catwalk for the ring at 33. A world champion coach will stand in her corner.
The stunning blonde was voted Germany’s most beautiful woman in 2022. Since then, she has rekindled her childhood love of the sweet science. And her debut fight takes place in Magdeburg.
Tatjana Genrich was the state champion of Saxony-Anhalt in the flyweight division. She held the title for amateur boxers between 2007 and 2009. She originally picked up the gloves as a way to defend herself at school.
“At school I was often bullied, and I wanted to find a way to defend myself,” she said. “That’s how it all started.” She fought back against her bullies through discipline and training.
Empathically, her skills in the ring soon caught the eye of boxing promoter Ulf Steinforth. He signed her during her amateur years. Even so, life eventually pulled her toward modelling and pageantry.
Decades later, Steinforth reconnected with the model. He suggested she should rekindle her boxing talent. “Since I sponsor the ring girls at his boxing events, he approached me one day and asked if I would like to get back in the ring,” she said. “I finally agreed and am now about to make my professional debut.”
Conversely, her motivation goes beyond rediscovering an old passion. “I want to be a role model for young women and show them that you can be successful in both your career and sports,” she said.
Tatjana Genrich trains across multiple disciplines. “I train in areas like posture, running and choreography,” she said. “This prepares me for competitions as well as events like fashion shows.”
Moreover, her social media feed has shifted dramatically in recent weeks. She posted a video of herself sparring and lifting weights in the gym. That raw footage contrasts sharply with the glamorous modelling work she shares with her 45,000 followers.
Hence, her promoter, SES Boxing, is backing her to make a mark in the ring. They believe she can follow in the footsteps of the legendary Regina Halmich. Halmich won 54 of her 56 bouts and dominated the female flyweight division, retaining the WIBF belt for over a decade.
“Tatjana can follow in Regina Halmich’s footsteps,” they said. “She has all the necessary qualities, an incredible presence, and is extremely ambitious.”
Nonetheless, Tatjana Genrich will be coached by Dirk Dzemski, a former boxer himself. He helped Robert Stieglitz become world champion in the 2010s. The Russian-German southpaw held the WBO super middleweight title from 2009 to 2012 and again from 2013 to 2014.
With that pedigree behind her, Tatjana Genrich enters the ring with serious credentials. Her journey from bullied schoolgirl to beauty queen to professional fighter defies expectations. Next month, she writes the next chapter in Magdeburg.
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