Six years after challenging for the IBF super-lightweight world title and seven years after his European title win, one of the ever-present names in both the 135lb and 140lb scenes has made the difficult decision to hang up the gloves and announce his retirement, leaving the sport with his health intact.
That man is Anthony Yigit, the former Swedish Olympian who turned professional in 2013 after being knocked out of London 2012 by current lightweight world champion Denys Berinchyk.
Despite that defeat, success in the professional ranks soon followed and wins over the likes of Timo Schwarzkopf and Phil Sutcliffe Jr. were enough to catch the eye of the EBU and position Yigit for a shot at the European title.
Yigit travelled to Lenny Daws’ backyard of Carshalton, Surrey and was able to spoil the party and claim a unanimous-decision win over the former British and European champion on away soil and returned home as an undefeated fighter who could well become Sweden’s fourth male world champion.
In his homecoming bout, Yigit faced and overcame a certain Sandor Martin with a victory that has aged like a fine wine since before returning to the United Kingdom just three months later where he made a second defence of the strap, defeating Leicester’s Joe Hughes – again winning comfortably as the away fighter.
As a result, ‘Can Ya Dig It’ Yigit moved up to the world level and took part in season two of the World Boxing Super Series, where he was tasked with Russia’s Ivan Baranchyk in the opening-round in a bout for the vacant IBF world title. Unfortunately for the Swede, this night is remembered for the wrong reasons, as a serious eye injury caused the referee to call an end to the contest in the seventh-round, awarding Yigit his first professional loss.
After wins in three confidence-building eight-rounders, Yigit returned on the big stage following a two-year hiatus and dropped down in weight to face Rolando Romero for the WBA interim lightweight belt as a late-notice replacement for Austin Dulay, but weighed-in over five pounds too heavy and could not win the title as a result, although he was knocked out in the seventh regardless.
From then on out it was much of the same for Yigit, who was found wanting when returning to the peak of the lightweight division against both Keyshawn Davis and his former amateur dance-partner Denys Berinchyk. Now, the tricky southpaw has taken to social media to share a message that he sent to a member of his team.
“Hey mate!
“I think I’m gonna retire the boxing career now and pursue the other stuff I’ve built up in my life! You don’t have to chase fights for me no more.
“I thank you for giving me a fair shot in pushing for a world title one last time. I can honestly say I gave what I could, and that I can retire, knowing it’s not something I wanna do anymore.
“Thank you!”
We at Boxing Social would like to wish Anthony Yigit all the best in whatever comes next after retirement, and congratulate him on a spectacular career, during which time he was defeated only by boxing’s elite.
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