Super middleweight contender Avni Yildirim (17-1) has fully recovered from his KO loss to Chris Eubank jr. in the World Boxing Super Series tournament and wants to prove that he is still a top contender in the division.
On Saturday, the 26-year-old Turk came back with a first-round KO win over Attila Korda (13-7) in Munich. Yildirim floored his opponent multiple times before referee Ingo Barrabas stopped the fight.
“It felt good to be back in the ring”, said Yildirim. “I want to return as soon as possible. Defeat hasn’t broken me but only made me stronger.”
Promoter Ahmet Oner announced that Yildirim’s next fight will be at “Satory Hall” in Cologne on March 3rd. “The win over Korda was good for Avni to get back on track. But Korda was more of a victim than a real opponent”, said Oner. “In his next fight, Avni will have to show a lot more.”
Yildirim will face Derek “The Black Lion” Edwards from Las Vegas in a bout for the WBC International Championship.
“I am sure that this will be a good fight”, says Oner. “Edwards stopped Badou Jack in 2014 and went the distance with the likes of Andre Dirrell and Gilberto Ramirez.”
Edwards has fought on the road many times in recent years so he is used to traveling. “I’m looking forward to March 3 with great intensity”, he said. “I’ve already started training, lighty. Then in early January I will be in heavy training. I have seen many fights on TV over the years televised from Germany in front of huge enthusiastic crowds, and I look forward to being my aggressive self against Yildirim for the great boxing fans of Germany.”