Edin Avdić is a multiple-time Austrian professional boxing champion with an impressive record of twelve wins, seven by knockout. On October 31, he will fight for the WBA title in Sarajevo at the Dom mladih, with a live broadcast on FACE TV.
In an exclusive interview for FACE TV, he spoke with our Marjan Mijajlović Maki about his career, the significance of his homeland Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brčko, his identity, and his upbringing…
Maki: “Since FACE TV was launched, one of our goals has been to promote Bosnian-Herzegovinian athletes. In the next few minutes, you will meet our outstanding boxer, with many great days ahead in his career. Joining us is Edin Avdić! Edin, you’re in Tyrol, but you come from Bosnia. Where exactly are you from?”
Edin Avdić: “I was born in Innsbruck, and my parents come from Brčko, specifically Šatorovići. That’s where I grew up. I also lived in Bosnia for a while. In Tyrol, and Austria in general, there are many of our diaspora, so I feel at home both in Tyrol and in Bosnia!”
Maki: “You were involved in other sports too. Football, swimming…”
Edin Avdić: “The first steps of every boy are often with football. But very quickly, I realized I wasn’t cut out for a team sport, so my mom enrolled me in swimming. I was an excellent swimmer for about three to four years. After that, I started boxing on my own. I simply put my boxing gear in a bag and secretly went to the boxing gym. After six months, my first coach discovered I had talent and told me he had to register me as a club member to insure me. ‘God forbid you get injured and you’re not a member of our club…’ he said. After that, he came to my parents with me. That’s how the story began. I started training at thirteen or fourteen years old.”
He added: “My biggest supporter was my late father! He supported me from the very beginning and was a citizen of BiH. I would love to fulfil his wish: to be recognized in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and not only as a boxer,” Avdić said.
Edin Avdić concluded his first interview for FACE TV with emotional words: “I love Bosnia! I visit several times a year! That is my true vacation! That’s where I rest my soul! I feel that I belong to these people! I am Austrian, but here they will never see me as a ‘German’. If I achieve all my goals, I would love to return to Bosnia!”
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW.