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Osleys Iglesias was surprised when Hamzah Sheeraz gave up his WBO super middleweight title last month.
There isn’t anyone in the super middleweight division the unbeaten Cuban power puncher wouldn’t fight, especially if it meant surrendering the IBF 168-pound championship he sacrificed so much to win.
Iglesias (15-0, 14 KOs) would’ve loved to face England’s Sheeraz (24-0-1, 19 KOs) in a title unification clash, but he is more interested now in the winner of the bout between WBC champ Christian Mbilli and Canelo Alvarez on October 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and WBA champ Jaime Munguia.
Iglesias isn’t optimistic that any of those three potential opponents will be as willing as him to fight at some point in 2027. He hopes, however, that his IBF belt makes him a more appealing option than before he captured it by stopping Russian contender Pavel Silyagin (16-1-1, 7 KOs) after eight one-sided rounds April 9 at Casino de Montreal.
“It’s not about me coming – I’m already here,” Iglesias told The Ring. “They can’t duck me anymore. After this fight, they’re gonna have to show up, because I’m here now. I’m here to be undisputed.
“Whoever has the titles, it’s time for a new king in the division. And I’m gonna crown myself the new king of the division, so I’m coming for anybody who has a title.”
Temporarily, though, the 28-year-old Iglesias is fixated on Oliver Zaren, his opponent Thursday night in Quebec City, Canada.
DraftKings lists Igelsias as a 16-1 favorite to win a 12-round main event DAZN will stream from Capitole de Quebec (6:30 p.m. ET). The wide odds aside, Iglesias respects Zaren (19-0-1, 8 KOs), a 26-year-old southpaw from Roskilde, Denmark, for simply agreeing to get in the ring with him.
“He’s a great opponent, the type of opponent where you can’t get cocky,” Iglesias said. “It’s a title fight, so you can’t disrespect any of them. I’m ready for it.”
Iglesias, who has won nine straight bouts by knockout, is ranked No. 2 among The Ring’s contenders for a vacant super middleweight title. Mexico’s Alvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs) is ranked No. 1 and Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs) is No. 3.
If Iglesias produces another impressive victory over Zaren, the IBF’s fifth-ranked contender, all he can do is hope Alvarez, Mbilli or Munguia (46-2, 35 KOs) will want to prove he isn’t their division’s most feared fighter.
“Of course it’s frustrating,” Iglesias said. “At the same time, it’s God’s timing. Whenever he thinks I’m ready, I’ll be ready. But they don’t wanna fight me. I know I’m not an easy fight. I know I’m young, hungry and ready. I understand why they’re ducking me.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer and columnist for The Ring. He can be reached on X @idecboxing.
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