In a heartbreaking turn of events, the boxing community mourns the untimely passing of Cem Kilic with his cause of death revealed
Cem Kilic was once-promising Turkish super middleweight prospect who met a tragic end at just 29 years old.
Turkish boxer Cem Kilic cause of death reason, bio, age, height, nationality and fight record
The news of the death of Cem Kilic which was attributed to an apparent drug overdose has sent shockwaves through the boxing world.
Cem Kilic was born on June 6, 1994, in Neustadt, Germany. Kilic’s journey in the sport led him to the United States at the age of 19. He completed his primary education in Germany. Details about Cem’s family members are not known.
Damn that’s sad to hear. R.I.P. Cem Kilic, it was an honor to share the ring with him pic.twitter.com/qTuTaxQiiZ
— Steven “So Cold” Nelson (@SoColdNelson) December 29, 2023
Settling in the greater Los Angeles area and residing in Sherman Oaks, California, he made his professional debut in December 2014 in Glendale, California.
Cem Kilic career
One of the highlights of Cem Kilic’s career was an eighth-round stoppage of Martez McGregor, who held an 8-1 record at the time, on the Tyson Fury-Tom Schwarz ESPN+ undercard in June 2019. With each victory, Kilic’s record reached an impressive 14-0. However, his lone loss came in the following bout against Steven ‘So Cold’ Nelson, a Terence Crawford stablemate, in January 2020, just before the onset of the global pandemic.
Some sad news to bring you this morning…
Turkish super-middleweight Cem Kilic has sadly passed away at the age of 29 following a battle with mental health issues and substance addiction.
Our thoughts are with Cem's family and close friends.
Rest in peace 🌹 pic.twitter.com/4gZUe8g3Cz
— IFL TV (@IFLTV) December 30, 2023
Despite this setback, Kilic managed to secure three more wins, with his final bout taking place in August, where he outpointed Marco Delgado over eight rounds. Kilic concluded his career with a record of 17-1, boasting 11 knockouts.
The shocking news of Kilic’s passing caught the industry completely off guard. His relocation from Germany to the U.S. added another layer to his story, and among those devastated by the news was Shane Shapiro, a rising boxing manager whose journey began with Kilic as his first client. Shapiro expressed his grief, stating, “RIP Cem Kilic, the first fighter that took a chance on me, someone who moved from Germany to Los Angeles, lived with me 7 years, and was part of my family.”
The relationship between Shapiro and Kilic was one of shared highs and lows, reflecting the complexities of the sport and the deep bonds formed within it. Shapiro emphasized the enduring memories they created together, acknowledging the challenges they faced side We went to war together,” added Shapiro.
The Wild Card Boxing Club also paid tribute to the fallen boxer. In a statement through its verified Instagram account, the club expressed deep sadness and condolences to the Kilic family and all those affected by his passing. “Gone far too soon. Rest in peace, Cem. You will be greatly missed.”
Kilic ended his career with a fight record of 17-1 (11KOs)
Cem Kilic ; nationality, Turkiye ; stance, orthodox ; height, 6′ 0″ / 183cm ; reach, 71½″ / 182cm ; residence, Sherman Oaks, California, USA