Boxing referee falls for fighter – and reveals what she’ll do if assigned to one of his fights

A boxing ring might seem a hopeless place to find love but that is exactly what one puncher and referee have managed in Germany. 

Boxer Ardian Krasniqi and official Karoline Putz are hoping to become a knockout couple after cosying up, proving there is room for sentiment in a ruthless sport.

Krasniqi, 28, is making a name for himself after 10 knockouts in 10 fights and on Saturday he beat Saul Ivan Male to become the WBO inter-continental light heavyweight champion. 

And who was there at the ringside? None other than Putz, Germany’s only professional female boxing referee, cheering on her brutal beau. 

Her prominence rose after she refereed a fight between male TV host Stefan Raab and female former boxing champion Regina Halmich – a bust-up which has been rematched multiple times since Halmich broke Raab’s nose in 2001. 

German boxer Ardian Krasniqi and referee Karoline Putz are in a relationship

Krasniqi is the WBO inter-continental light heavyweight champion after he beat Saul Ivan Male

The boxer, 28, is keeping his relationship private and neither of them have commented on it

German outlet BILD asked referee Putz what she would do if she was ever assigned to one of Krasniqi’s fights. 

‘I’ll cancel,’ she said.

Indeed, BILD failed to get much out of either of the lovebirds. Both of them declined to comment on their romantic union.

There is scant evidence of their relationship on social media, with Krasniqi failing to share a single snap of them together with his 34,000 followers. 

Ardian Krasniqi is a rising star and is following in the footsteps of his uncle, Luan Krasniqi, who held the European heavyweight title and challenged Lamon Brewster for the WBO world heavyweight crown.

The 28-year-old floored Male on Saturday in Ludwigsberg, Germany, to put himself on the continental map. 

According to Bild, he is seen as the next big thing in German boxing and has the potential to compete for a world title – though Male was his first opponent who has a winning record.  

Putz has been a referee for a couple of years having first served as a timekeeper 

Meanwhile, Putz’s career is also progressing well – perhaps helped by the fact that her father Thomas is the president of the Association of German Professional Boxers, which licenses referees there. 

She started out as a timekeeper but has been a referee for two years and was recently in the ring for featherweight Nina Meinke’s IBF title win over Daniela Bermudez.