Swedish lightweight contender Anthony Yigit has decided to put an end to his boxing career as he announced today, June 17th, through his social media profiles. With this decision, Yigit will close the chapter to a 11-year boxing career that saw him challenge for a world title once, and further remain make a name for himself as a lightweight, super lightweight and welterweight contender.
Anthony Yigit, 32, started off as an amateur boxer where he proved to be one Sweden’s biggest talents after winning the World Amateur Boxing Championships in 2011 in the super lightweight/junior welterweight (140 lbs) category. A year later, Yigit competed in the 2012 London Olympics, managing to reach the second round before falling to Ukrainian future lightweight (135 lbs) world champion Denys Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KO’s).
Anthony Yigit went on to make his professional debut as a welterweight (147 lbs) not long after on April 13th in 2013, impressing immediately as he stormed to a 3rd round technical knockout (TKO) win over his opponent. The next couple of years were spent honing his talent as he gradually faced tougher and tougher opposition through the course of which he won the European Boxing Union (EBU) European title and defended it twice; one of which he managed to defend it against current 140 lbs Spanish contender Sandor Martin (42-3, 15 KO’s).
In 2018, Anthony Yigit faced Belarusian fighter Ivan Baranchyk for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) super lightweight title, though he found himself overmatched which led to a 7th round stoppage loss to Baranchyk. Despite the opponent, Yigit continued to remain one of the best active Swedish fighters as he would go on to drift in and out the top 10 140 lbs rankings while continuing to challenge himself.
In 2021, Yigit suffered his second career loss to American future 140 lbs champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero (15-2, 13 KO’s) while fighting for Romero’s interim World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight title. Despite never challenging for a world title again, Yigit often found himself come close to the opportunity, first missing out on being ranked higher as a genuine contender after losing to American lightweight prospect Keyshawn Davis (10-0, 7 KO’s) by TKO in 2021, before actually doing much better against former Olympic opponent Denys Berinchyk who he went the full distance with [12 rounds] in a competitive battle for Berinchyk’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) International title that saw Yigit lose by unanimous decision (UD).
Anthony Yigit last competed in January of this year where he netted an easy UD win over Norwegian opponent, Jamshid Nazari (11-2, 3 KO’s). Despite still being relatively young at the age of 32, the Swedish contender will call it quits and retire with a commendable record of 29 wins with 10 coming by way of knockout (KO), four losses and 1 draw; with his resume further proving his aptitude in boxing having faced at least three world champions throughout his career.
While it is not known what Antony Yigit will do next, he already seems to be adapting to a new life outside of boxing as he revealed in his social media post where he formally bid goodbye to the sport.
“Hey mate!” Yigit stated through a phone message he shared on Twitter/X where he appeared to address his manager [presumably Conor Slater], “I think I’m gonna retire the boxing career now, and pursue the other stuff I’ve built 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!“
