The IBF middleweight championship will be on the line at Zuffa Boxing 10. Aaron McKenna will clash with Etinosa Oliha for the vacant title in Dublin on Saturday.
McKenna (20-0, 10 KO) will be fighting in front of what is sure to be a wild crowd of his Irish countrymen as he looks to capture a world championship for the first time in his career.
Over the past few years, McKenna has stepped up his level of competition in preparation for an opportunity like he will have against Oliha. In 2023, he picked up a solid win over Uisma Lima, handing Lima the first loss of his career. Three fights later, McKenna scored the biggest win of his career, picking up a unanimous decision win over former world champion Liam Smith.
The win over Smith wasn’t only good for Smith’s resume; it was a win on a big stage as it took place on the undercard of the first fight between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr. at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
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In Oliha (22-0, 10 KO), McKenna faces a fellow undefeated fighter who has been steadily plying his trade in search of a big fight.
Oliha fought the first 16 fights of his career in Italy before his six most recent fights were all held in Germany. None of his opposition have been of the world-class or household name variety, but Oliha has managed to consistently find ways to win and now has a chance to become a world champion.
The co-featured bout will see another big name middleweight return to his home country, with Zuffa Boxing centerpiece Callum Walsh (16-0, 11 KO) taking on Tyler Denny (21-4-3, 1 KO).
Walsh’s career has been on a steady upward trajectory and has been, in large part, backed by Zuffa’s Dana White. Walsh was Zuffa Boxing’s first big signing and he headlined Zuffa Boxing 01, taking a clear decision over Carlos Ocampo.
Denny is a clear step down from the likes of Ocampo and Fernando Vargas for Walsh. Denny has only scored one knockout in his 28 career fights.
Denny has also lost bouts to Hamzah Sheeraz and George Liddard, with the loss to Liddard coming in his most recent trip to the ring.
Date: Aug. 8 | Location: 3Arena — Dublin
Prelims begin at noon ET
Main card begins at 2 p.m. ET
Watch live: Paramount+ (subscribe now for as little as $8.99 per month)
McKenna has proven he can fight on a big stage and has taken on a slightly better level of opposition, though Oliha has picked up some solid wins in his career. This fight figures to go the 12-round distance as neither man has shown to have a weak chin, nor have either displayed big pop to consistently score stoppages.
With the backing of the hometown crowd, the slightly better skills and slightly better experience, McKenna should be able to edge out a close, but not overly close, decision win. Pick: Aaron McKenna via UD
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