# Avni Yıldırım

Avni Yıldırım (born 5 August 1991) is a Turkish professional boxer. He challenged for the WBC super-middleweight title in 2019, and the WBA (Super), WBC, and Ring magazine super-middleweight titles in 2021.

## Professional career
### Yıldırım vs. Eubank Jr.

Yıldırım compiled a perfect record of 16-0 before challenging Chris Eubank Jr. for his IBO super-middleweight title on 7 October 2017 in Stuttgart, Germany as part of the World Boxing Super Series. Eubank Jr. was ranked #4 by the WBC and the IBF and #8 by the WBA. He was knocked down by Eubank Jr. in the first round, before being knocked out two rounds later.

### Yıldırım vs. Mock

Yıldırım beat Lolenga Mock by majority decision in their 12 round contest on 15 September 2018. Mock was ranked #15 by the WBC at super middleweight at the time.

### Yıldırım vs. Dirrell

Yıldırım rebounded from his first professional career loss with a run of five consecutive victories to improve to 21-1, before challenging Anthony Dirrell for the vacant WBC super-middleweight title on 23 February 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dirrell was ranked #1 by the WBC at the time. After Dirrell was cut from an accidental head clash, the fight was stopped in the tenth round, with Dirrell emerging as the victor by split technical decision (96-94, 96-94, 92-98). Yıldırım was not happy with the stoppage, stating “I was upset. I wanted to keep going and finish the fight as a champion.” Yıldırım's promoter, Ahmet Oener, flew to Mexico City to meet with WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman to make their case for an immediate rematch. The WBC ultimately decided to resolve the matter by ordering a title fight between Dirrell and David Benavidez with the winner being mandated to face Yıldırım. However, Yıldırım was sidetracked by injury and the COVID-19 pandemic while maintaining his mandatory position.

### Yıldırım vs. Álvarez

Following a layoff of over two years, Yıldırım returned to the ring on 27 February 2021 at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami to face highly-regarded unified super-middleweight champion Canelo Álvarez, again challenging for the WBC super-middleweight title which now belonged to Álvarez, in addition to Álvarez's WBA (Super) and The Ring titles. A huge underdog, Yıldırım was unable to overcome the odds as his opponent proved too much for him. Yıldırım retired on his stool at the end of the third round, having landed only 11 punches total in the fight, compared to Álvarez's 67.

### Yıldırım vs. Cullen

Yıldırım faced Jack Cullen as part of Fight Camp in Brentwood, England on 31 July 2021. He lost a wide unanimous decision, with scores of 100-90, 98-92, 97-93 all in favor of Cullen.

## Professional boxing record

| 29 fights | 24 wins | 5 losses |
| By knockout | 13 | 3 |
| By decision | 11 | 2 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 29 | Loss | 24–5 | Yusuf Kanguel | TKO | 9 (10), 0:50 | 14 May 2022 | BJK Akatlar Arena, Istanbul, Turkey | For vacant WBC Asia and Turkey super-middleweight titles |
| 28 | Win | 24–4 | Yusuf Kanguel | UD | 10 | 20 Nov 2021 | Universum Gym, Hamburg, Germany | |
| 27 | Win | 23–4 | Dominik Ameri | UD | 8 | 25 Sep 2021 | Universum Gym, Hamburg, Germany | |
| 26 | Win | 22–4 | Slavisa Simeunovic | KO | 1 (8), 2:54 | 21 Aug 2021 | Universum Gym, Hamburg, Germany | |
| 25 | Loss | 21–4 | Jack Cullen | UD | 10 | 31 Jul 2021 | Matchroom Headquarters, Brentwood, England | For vacant IBF International super-middleweight title |
| 24 | Loss | 21–3 | Canelo Álvarez | RTD | 3 (12), 3:00 | 27 Feb 2021 | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, US | For WBA (Super), WBC, and The Ring super-middleweight titles |
| 23 | Loss | 21–2 | Anthony Dirrell | TD | 10 (12), 1:55 | 23 Feb 2019 | Minneapolis Armory, Minneapolis, Minnesota, US | For vacant WBC super-middleweight title; Split TD: Dirrell cut from accidental head clash |
| 22 | Win | 21–1 | Lolenga Mock | MD | 12 | 15 Sep 2018 | Friedrich-Ebert-Halle, Ludwigshafen, Germany | Retained WBC International super-middleweight title |
| 21 | Win | 20–1 | Jose Antonio Rodriguez | RTD | 1 (10), 3:00 | 14 Jul 2018 | Casa de los Clubes, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | |
| 20 | Win | 19–1 | Ryan Ford | UD | 12 | 12 May 2018 | Nobeo Studios, Cologne, Germany | Retained WBC International super-middleweight title |
| 19 | Win | 18–1 | Derek Edwards | UD | 12 | 3 Mar 2018 | Sartory Saale, Cologne, Germany | Retained WBC International super-middleweight title |
| 18 | Win | 17–1 | Attila Korda | TKO | 1 (8), 1:36 | 16 Dec 2017 | Messehalle, Straubing, Germany | |
| 17 | Loss | 16–1 | Chris Eubank Jr. | KO | 3 (12), 1:58 | 7 Oct 2017 | Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Stuttgart, Germany | For IBO super-middleweight title; World Boxing Super Series: super-middleweight quarter-final |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Marco Antonio Peribán | UD | 12 | 13 May 2017 | Foro Aga de Palcco, Zapopan, Mexico | Won vacant WBC International super-middleweight title |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Aliaksandr Sushchyts | TKO | 1 (12), 1:36 | 18 Feb 2017 | Teatro Principe, Milan, Italy | Retained WBC Silver International super-middleweight title |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Schiller Hyppolite | TKO | 3 (10), 2:44 | 5 Nov 2016 | Ballhaus Forum, Munich, Germany | Won vacant WBC Silver International super-middleweight title |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Aaron Pryor Jr | UD | 10 | 27 Aug 2016 | Huxleys, Berlin, Germany | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Timur Nikarkhoev | TKO | 5 (8), 2:05 | 23 Jul 2016 | Iron Gym, Berlin, Germany | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Zoltan Sera | TKO | 2 (8), 0:45 | 23 May 2016 | Petko's Gym, Dachau, Germany | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Jackson Junior | KO | 2 (12), 2:27 | 6 May 2016 | Huxleys, Berlin, Germany | Retained WBC Silver International light-heavyweight title |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Walter Gabriel Sequeira | UD | 12 | 26 Feb 2016 | Stadthalle, Offenbach am Main, Germany | Retained WBC Silver International light-heavyweight title |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Janne Forsman | KO | 1 (12), 1:07 | 18 Dec 2015 | Sport Hall, Ratingen, Germany | Retained WBC Silver International light-heavyweight title |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Bernard Donfack | UD | 12 | 11 Oct 2015 | Sport Halle, Herne, Germany | Retained WBC Silver International light-heavyweight title |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Glen Johnson | UD | 10 | 15 Aug 2015 | Mana Studios, Miami, Florida, US | Won vacant WBC Silver International light-heavyweight title |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Steve Kroekel | TKO | 1 (8), 0:30 | 16 Jun 2015 | Arena Boxgym, Düsseldorf, Germany | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Giorgi Aduashvili | TKO | 2 (4), 2:59 | 30 Apr 2015 | Arena Boxgym, Düsseldorf, Germany | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Giorgi Beroshvili | TKO | 3 (8), 2:29 | 27 Feb 2015 | Gloria Sports Arena, Antalya, Turkey | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Aleksandar Jankovic | TKO | 1 (6), 1:58 | 14 Feb 2015 | Adnan Menderes Spor Salonu, Adana, Turkey | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Davit Ribakoni | PTS | 4 | 22 Mar 2014 | Atatürk Spor Salonu, Tekirdağ, Turkey | |