“R.I.P Cem Kilic”: Undefeated Boxing Prospect Steven Nelson Join Fans in Mourning the Saddening Demise of Former Super-Middleweight Contender at Just 29

Ambition, hard work, and determination. That is what Cem Kilic represented. The young prospect was climbing up the ladder to fight for a world championship. He had 18 professional bouts under his belt with 17 victories and just one defeat. However, in an unfortunate turn of events, Killic is no more with us.

However, the cause of death has not been determined and confirmed as of yet. In any case, Witnessing this, the boxing world is in a state of shock. So let’s remember him and unwrap how the fans perceive this news.

Cem Kilic’s death leaves the boxing world in a state of grief

In 2020, Kilic suffered his only defeat in his career against undefeated boxing prospect Steven Nelson. When he found out about this unfortunate news, he took to X. and paid homage to the late boxer and stated, “Damn that’s sad to hear. R.I.P. Cem Kilic, it was an honour to share the ring with him.”

Many other fans and boxing personalities came to mourn his death.

His boxing promoter, Shane Shapiro lauded Nelson for his tweet and revealed that Kilic had nothing but nice things to say about him as well.

Meanwhile, one fan was sad to hear about it but did not know the cause behind the death.

Along similar lines, another fan paid homage to the late boxer.

Last but not least, boxing promoter, Lou DiBella took to Twitter and rightfully spread awareness about helpline numbers if one feels suicidal. In addition, he joins the fans to mourn the late boxer.

It is safe to say that this news left a feeling of melancholy in the boxing world. Although he is no longer with us, we look back at the man he was, his dreams, his relationships.

Remembering Cem Kilic and his legacy

Kilic’s nationality is Turkish but he was born in Neustadt, Hessen, Germany. He moved to America with just $200 when he was 19 years old. He came to the country with dreams of becoming a world champion and was residing in Los Angeles. In Turkey, he was training in gyms where there were no punching bags, pads or any other good facilities that are easily accessible in America. In an interview with ESNews, he stated, “I trained in gyms which had nothing. I trained with Tires. Concrete floors… used tires as boxing bags.”  

The above revelation is a testament to his love for the sport. Despite having humble beginnings with not much financial support, he made a name for himself and looked very promising. Not to mention, he once competed in the undercard of Tyson Fury vs Tom Schwarz back in 2019.

He knew that ‘Sweet Science,’ was his calling. In his Instagram bio, a very confident Kilic stated, “When it comes down to boxing, I’m the best at this.” He had  aspirations to face Jermall Charlo for the belt and even sparred UFC legend, Nate Diaz. His last fight was in 2022 against Marco Delgado and he won via a unanimous decision.

His manager Shane Shapiro cared deeply about him and has been seen with him at his fights cheering for him. The two met at an auto repair shop and since then, the two have been a pillar of support for each other. After the news broke out, he stated, “Those who know, know. Cem and I were always side by side. We had so many highs and lows. We didn’t always see eye to eye, but the memories we made together will never fade.” In addition, In a post uploaded by Cilic on Instagram, we get to know that he was married and shared a close bond with his mother.

Moreover, he was one of the Turkey’s biggest rising stars in the sport. This loss affected Turkish boxing a lot. The president of the Turkish Boxing Federation, Eyüp Gözgeç sent his condolences and stated, “We wish patience to the grieving relatives. Rest in peace. Rest in peace.” 

Read more: Thousands of Dollars ‘Stolen’ From Legendary Boxing Promoter’s Bank Account