Yildirim-Nikharkoev: Unbeaten super middleweights collide in Berlin

WBC #5 ranked super middleweight contender Avni Yildirim (11-0) takes on WBC Youth Champion Timur Nikarkhoev (10-0) in an intriguing eight-round bout tomorrow (Saturday, July 23rd) at “Iron Gym” in Berlin, Germany. Former WBC Silver International light heavyweight champion Yildirim moved down from 175 to 168 lbs. in May and has wins over veteran Glen Johnson and tough Argentinian Walter Sequeira on his record. Nikarkhoev won the WBC Youth super middleweight title last December by stopping Georgia’s Ramazi Gogichashvili and comes to Germany with an impressive KO ratio of 80 percent. It is the first time that the 23-year-old will fight outside of Belgium. “I am sure that this will be a hell of a fight,” said promoter Ahmet Oner. “Two young, hungry unbeaten guys who will do whatever it takes to continue their rise to the top.”