FightMatrix Exclusive: Interview with Boxing Manager Ilker Furat

Mr. Furat holding the YouTube award received by 12 Raund Boxing podcast

Today, we bring you an exclusive interview with Türkiye-based boxing manager Ilker Furat.

You can find more information about Ilker and his business endeavors at https://www.ilkerfurat.com. You can also listen to his award winning podcast, 12 Raund Sports.

Mr Furat receiving the award for best boxing channel

Ilker Furat was born in Istanbul, Türkiye. He is 42 years of age. Since childhood, he had a liking for various sports throughout his life. Initially, he grew up playing soccer at a young age. Eventually, Ilker took an interest in basketball, but ultimately found his true calling in boxing.

After being a boxing spectator for 25 years, Ilker has taken a pivotal transition in his life. He desired to become a boxing manager. Therefore, that is exactly what he is doing. It is to my understanding that he has built a career out of something he absolutely is passionate about. The more you enjoy anything you truly care for, the easier it will typically be to excel in it.

Mr. Furat is an intelligent, youthful, and clever businessman. He is willing to pursue anything that he desires because of the drive inside of him. Managing boxers has been in his cards for seven years now.

In the boxing world and combat sports in general, it’s crucial to constantly obtain new and talented athletes. This must be carried out in more creative ways than ever before. Ilker Furat is exactly the person to execute the means necessary to succeed. He has a true passion for boxing and assisting others on his life journey!

Q & A:

FightMatrix: Tell us about your experience playing basketball. What or who motivated you to participate in the sport?

Ilker Furat: Hi, first of all, the ghetto-like street life we ​​lived in made us encounter sports at an early age. First soccer and then basketball came into our lives.

 

FM: How many years have you had an interest in boxing?

IF: Boxing has been in my life for more than 25 years, but only 7 years in the professional field.

 

FM: How long have you been doing podcasts?

IF: It wouldn’t be a lie, if we said we started during the pandemic period because this is how we reached people at home. We have been present for 4 years with 12 rounds of broadcasts on YouTube, Apple and Spotify.

Mr Furat at a boxing event

FM: Do you plan to create podcasts in English to further reach a global audience?

IF:  Actually, we have a broadcast called “Fight to Flight”, which is like a short news tour, but we are planning to develop it more recently.

 

FM: What are your plans for the future of 12 Raund Boxing?

IF: 12 Raund Boxing has become a very global microblog on Instagram and the world’s most important athletes and sports people are among our followers. We are especially loved in Mexico and South America. Our aim is to be the best in our branch and take the sport of boxing to wider areas.

 

FM: How did you become involved in boxing management?

IF: I was interested in combat sports during my university years. I founded the 12 Raund  platform in 2017 and started managing Dutch heavyweight Deniz Köziğ in the same year.

 

FM: Tell us about the athletes you manage.

IF: Currently, there is Buse Uncu from the Izmir region, she has had many successes in the amateur league and we had 3 professional matches. Ruslan Myrsataev, Kazakh heavyweight is an athlete with a truly multi-career past – from the Olympics to the Asian championships. Ireland’s Shauna O’Keeffe, whom I advise, is a professional with a strong future in women’s boxing. I am also the general manager of Fethiye Boxing School and we organize kickboxing and MMA organizations here.

Mr Furat showcasing awards for Best Digital Content

 

FM: What services do you provide for your athletes?

IF: We advance our work in 2-3 ways. Our main areas of work are managing camp and training invitations for athletes, match-making and organization areas, PR and social media support.

 

FM: You are involved in many activities; how do you find time to balance them all?

IF: Of course, time is the most valuable thing these days. First of all, our main strategy is to follow the current news closely and make moves based on relevant information. For example, Saudi Arabia / Riyadh is very popular right now

 

FM: Do you have any pets?

IF:  There were many in the past. There were cats, dogs, fish, birds but I can’t spare time for them.

 

FM: Who or what inspires you?

IF: I love listening to music and great athletes, they are my source of inspiration. More importantly, ilker Furat adds every step he takes in this community as an experience and I continue my journey with them.

Mr Furat at a title match

 

FM: What are your hobbies when you have spare time?

IF: I like nature and natural things, we have a good time with forest walks and sea activities.

 

FM: How do you see combat sports growing worldwide in the next decade?

IF: At a time when soccer has become an industry and the NBA is looking for its former stars, people have turned more towards combat sports, and in the last 3 years, boxing and all combat sports have caught a rising trend in the world. Social media and gyms have been very effective in this, especially women now have great interest.

 

FM: How do you feel about the co-promotion of boxing and MMA?

IF: Boxing is an Olympic sport with a long history. Mixed Martial Arts is a platform where different martial arts meet in the middle. Türkiye is currently a very successful and developing structure in amateur women’s boxing. Since it is the homeland of wrestling, it is a fact that it will produce very good athletes for MMA in the future.

 

FM: Is there anything else you would care to share with boxing fans worldwide?

IF: We receive very nice messages from all over the world and I am happy. Let them continue to follow us, we are here today with their support.

Mr Furat at a boxing event

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