A as soon as promising tremendous middleweight prospect was discovered lifeless over the vacation season.
BoxingScene.com is saddened to report the premature passing of Cem Kilic, a Turkish boxer who died at simply 29 years of age. An obvious drug overdose was the trigger, as Kilic battled substance habit and psychological well being points for a number of years.
“We’ve realized the information of the loss of life of one in all our former nationwide boxers,” Eyup Gozgec, president of the Turkish Boxing Federation, introduced on Friday. “We want endurance to the grieving family members. Relaxation in peace.”
Kilic was born on June 6, 1994 in Neustadt, Germany. He relocated to the U.S. at age 19, the place he educated within the better Los Angeles space and resided in Sherman Oaks, California. The transfer coincided along with his December 2014 professional debut in Glendale, California.
The rise by means of the ranks included a Showtime-televised factors win over DeAndre Ware when each have been unbeaten prospects through the September 2018 conflict. Kilic added an eighth-round stoppage of Martez McGregor (8-1 on the time) on the June 2019 Tyson Fury-Tom Schwarz ESPN+ undercard to run his file to 14-0.
His lone loss got here in his subsequent struggle, an eighth-round stoppage to Terence Crawford stablemate Steven ‘So Chilly’ Nelson in January 2020, simply forward of the worldwide pandemic. Three wins adopted, although none since final August when he outpointed Marco Delgado over eight rounds in what represented the ultimate struggle of his profession.
Kilic ended his profession with a file of 17-1 (11KOs).
The information caught the trade utterly off guard, notably the lives he touched upon relocating to the U.S. from Germany. Amongst these devastated by the information was Shane Shapiro, a rising boxing supervisor whose first shopper was Kilic.
“By no means thought I’d be writing one thing like this proper now,” mentioned Shapiro. “I’m in shock. RIP Cem Kilic, the primary fighter that took an opportunity on me, somebody who moved from Germany to Los Angeles, lived with me 7 years and was a part of my household. Those that know, know.
“Me and Cem have been at all times facet by facet… we had so many highs and lows, and didn’t at all times see eye to eye, however the recollections we made collectively won’t ever fade. You’ll at all times be remembered… RIP “Champ” Cem Kilic. We went to warfare collectively.”
The workers at Wild Card Boxing Membership, the place Kilic frequented, additionally supplied a tribute to the fallen boxer.
“We so very deeply saddened to listen to of the passing of Cem Kilic,” mentioned the institution in an announcement by means of its verified Instagram account. “Gone far too quickly. Our condolences to the Kilic household and to all these affected by his passing. Relaxation in peace, Cem. You’ll be significantly missed.”
Jake Donovan is a senior author for BoxingScene.com. X (previously Twitter): @JakeNDaBox
