Umut Camkiran, trainer Istvan Szili and fellow heavyweight Labinot Xhoxhaj share a championship history with the Universal Boxing Federation.
ISTANBUL, TÜRKİYE — November 6, 2026 — Former Universal Boxing Federation European Heavyweight Champion Umut Camkiran will pursue another championship milestone when he faces Mourad Aliev for the vacant WBC Silver heavyweight title on Saturday, November 7, at Ülker Sports Arena in Istanbul.
The scheduled 12-round contest carries a distinctive UBF connection through three men: Camkiran, his trainer and former UBF World Middleweight Champion Istvan Szili, and former UBF Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion Labinot Xhoxhaj, who previously defeated Aliev.
Together, their stories connect a former champion’s next challenge, another champion’s transition into coaching, and a fellow heavyweight’s success against the same opponent.
Championship Experience in Camkiran’s Corner
Camkiran established his place in UBF history by stopping Alexander Kahl in the opening round to capture the UBF European Heavyweight Championship. Now, the unbeaten heavyweight brings that championship background into a significant test against a French Olympian.
Guiding his preparations is Istvan Szili, who captured the vacant UBF World Middleweight Championship against Mathias Zemski on August 30, 2014. His role in Istanbul places a former UBF world champion in the corner of a former UBF European champion.
In a November 6 interview with Boxen1, Camkiran credited Szili as a central figure in his development and described their relationship as family-like. He also characterized his preparations as the toughest and best training camp of his career.
That partnership gives the occasion significance beyond the belt at stake: Szili is applying his own championship experience to help Camkiran pursue the next stage of his career.
Xhoxhaj Provides the Third UBF Link
Labinot Xhoxhaj adds another connection to the matchup. He captured the UBF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship by defeating Tamas Lodi in Kosovo on December 27, 2020.
On June 7, 2025, Xhoxhaj defeated Aliev by unanimous decision in Hamburg, successfully defending his European heavyweight championship.
Xhoxhaj is not a participant in Saturday’s contest, but his victory provides a relevant chapter in Aliev’s professional history—and another link between this upcoming fight and UBF’s former champions.
A New Opportunity in Istanbul
For Camkiran, the task now is to turn preparation into performance against an opponent with extensive amateur experience. Szili’s guidance will be part of that effort as Camkiran attempts to add the WBC Silver heavyweight championship to his résumé.
For the Universal Boxing Federation, the occasion highlights three different paths taken by its former champions: competing for further honors, developing fighters from the corner, and establishing themselves against international opposition.
Three champions. Three career paths. One shared connection: UBF.
The November 7 contest is for the vacant WBC Silver heavyweight title, not a UBF championship or the WBC’s full world heavyweight title.
