Avni Yildirim is seeking a new lease of life at middleweight and aiming to put the loss to Canelo Alvarez in February behind him when he fights Jack Cullen on Saturday night.
Yildirim v Cullen, another piece of surprise matchmaking along with Xu Can v Leigh Wood, will take place at Matchroom HQ for the first of three Fight Camp shows.
Yildirim, 29, is no stranger to fighting British opposition having lost to Chris Eubank Jr in the World Boxing Super Series four years ago.
Now, with a new trainer in Pedro Diaz and a new beginning at 160lbs, the Turkish star is aiming to turn a corner in his career.
“The Canelo fight is old news,” he told Matchroom. “I am looking to open a new page on my career down at middleweight. I have a new trainer in Pedro Diaz, it’s a new start and I have a new lease of life, everything feels good.”
“Pedro is one of the best trainers in the world and a great guy, and I think that he can make me a world champion at 160lbs, and I’m telling the champions – I am coming for you.
“I know what I want to be, a great champion at middleweight, and Pedro believes in me and says that I can do it. My motivation is so high, and my body and my mind are both in a great place.”
Main image: Matchroom Boxing USA