MONAGHAN MIDDLEWEIGHT AARON McKenna is set to face Italy’s Etinosa Oliha for the vacant IBF middleweight world title in Dublin on Saturday, 8 August.
McKenna versus Oliha is slated to be the chief-support bout on a Zuffa Boxing show at the 3Arena, where Cork man Callum Walsh [16-0, 11KOs] will headline against an opponent yet to be determined.
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The event would cap a huge week for professional boxing in Dublin where, the Saturday prior, local hero Pierce O’Leary [19-0, 11KOs] will also headline at the 3Arena against Mark Chamberlain [17-1-1, 11KOs]. Rising star O’Leary will top a Queensberry bill which may yet feature former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
Smightborough native McKenna [20-0, 10KOs] has not boxed since a career-best victory over Liverpool’s former light-middleweight world champion Liam Smith 13 months ago, while Oliha [22-0, 10KOs] has fought just once since September 2024, stopping journeyman Ivan Njegac in September of last year.
McKenna, ranked third by the IBF, and Oliha, second, are due to compete for the world-title belt that was stripped from former unified champion Janibek Alimkhanuly after the Kazakh failed a drug test.
The winner and new world champion will be mandated to defend their title against American Amari Jones [17-0, 15KOs], who scored a third-round stoppage over former champion Vincenzo Gualtieri last weekend.
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Monaghan's Aaron McKenna set for world-title shot in Dublin
MONAGHAN MIDDLEWEIGHT AARON McKenna is set to face Italy’s Etinosa Oliha for the vacant IBF middleweight world title in Dublin on Saturday, 8 August.
McKenna versus Oliha is slated to be the chief-support bout on a Zuffa Boxing show at the 3Arena, where Cork man Callum Walsh [16-0, 11KOs] will headline against an opponent yet to be determined.
The event would cap a huge week for professional boxing in Dublin where, the Saturday prior, local hero Pierce O’Leary [19-0, 11KOs] will also headline at the 3Arena against Mark Chamberlain [17-1-1, 11KOs]. Rising star O’Leary will top a Queensberry bill which may yet feature former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
Smightborough native McKenna [20-0, 10KOs] has not boxed since a career-best victory over Liverpool’s former light-middleweight world champion Liam Smith 13 months ago, while Oliha [22-0, 10KOs] has fought just once since September 2024, stopping journeyman Ivan Njegac in September of last year.
McKenna, ranked third by the IBF, and Oliha, second, are due to compete for the world-title belt that was stripped from former unified champion Janibek Alimkhanuly after the Kazakh failed a drug test.
The winner and new world champion will be mandated to defend their title against American Amari Jones [17-0, 15KOs], who scored a third-round stoppage over former champion Vincenzo Gualtieri last weekend.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
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