Coach Ahmet Öner is ready to send his boxer Avni Yildirim (16-0, 10 KOs) into war against Chris Eubank Jr. (25-1, 19 KOs) on October 7 at the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle in Stuttgart, Germany. “Our relationship is like a colonel and a soldier,” said Ahmet Öner. “Sometimes I call him John Rambo, and I am Colonel Trautman. He is my Rambo, I made him and I am very happy with what I’ve made.”
Photo Credits: Sebastian Heger for World Boxing Super Series
The former light heavyweight, now coach and manager, believes that his fighter can go all the way to win the Muhammad Ali Trophy. The first obstacle is Chris Eubank Jr., but Öner does not see the British IBO Champion as a serious threat in the battle for the Greatest Prize in Boxing.
“I do not fear Eubank Jr. He has nothing to stop Avni. Eubank is a kid, a spoiled kid who thinks he is a brave tough guy, he is not. His father was an actor and a fighter with good power punches. Eubank Jr. has good movement, but he has no power. Eubank Jr. is a cheap version of Floyd Mayweather. He thinks he is Mayweather, but he is not,” said Öner.
“Avni never gives up. The word ‘brave’ describes Avni. He is Braveheart, he is like Rambo. Many of the other fighters in the tournament they care for the money, that is not Avni. Avni’s dream is to become a world recognized fighter. He wants to be a hero, he loves when people pay attention to him. Boxing is a tool to achieve this. He does not care for the money, he cares for the glory.”
Tickets for the World Boxing Super Series’ quarter-final bout between Chris Eubank Jr. and Avni Yildirim in Stuttgart are on sale ranging from €21 to €250 at eventim.de and easyticket.de.
WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES FIXTURES & RESULTS
09/09/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Final:
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Marco Huck (WBO World) – Usyk Won (TKO 10)
Max-Schmeling-Halle, Berlin, Germany
16/09/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Final:
Callum Smith vs. Erik Skoglund (WBC Diamond) – Smith Won (UD)
Echo Arena, Liverpool, United Kingdom
23/09/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Final:
Yunier Dorticos vs. Dmitry Kudryashov (WBA World)
Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas, USA
30/09/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Final:
Mairis Briedis vs. Mike Perez (WBC World)
Riga Arena, Riga, Latvia
07/10/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Final:
Chris Eubank Jr vs. Avni Yildirim (IBO World)
Hanns-Martin-Schleyer Halle, Stuttgart, Germany
14/10/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Final:
George Groves vs. Jamie Cox (WBA Super)
The SSE Arena, Wembley, London, United Kingdom
21/10/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Final:
Murat Gassiev vs. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (IBF World)
Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA
TO BE CONFIRMED
Super Middleweight Quarter-Finals:
Juergen Braehmer vs. Rob Brant
WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES AT A GLANCE
Number of participants: 16
Number of belts: 7
Number of world champions: 6
Number of former world champions: 3
Number of undefeated fighters: 9
Combined Record of participants: 423 wins, 17 losses, 294 KOs