[REVISION HISTORY]

Aaron McKenna wins IBF title; eyes unification bout

Updated 9 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-10 15:22 UTC → 2026-09-04 07:38 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Aaron McKenna wins IBF ~~middleweight title~~ title; eyes unification bout ~~in Dublin~~

In early August 2026, the vacant IBF middleweight (160-lb) championship was contested at Dublin’s 3Arena as part of the Zuffa Boxing 10 event. The main event featured a high-stakes matchup between undefeated Irish boxer Aaron McKenna (20-0) and unbeaten Italian contender Etinosa Oliha (22-0). The title became vacant following the stripping of former champion Janibek Alimkhanuly due to doping violations. McKenna, known as ‘The Silencer’, captured the vacant title by securing a unanimous decision victory over Oliha after 12 rounds, extending his professional record to 21-0. Judges scored the bout 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112 in favor of McKenna, who utilized a dominant jab and tactical movement to neutralize Oliha's pressure. Despite suffering a significant facial cut following a head clash in the 11th round, McKenna maintained control of the match. The loss marked the first professional defeat for Oliha, who had long expressed ambition for the world title while training at the Skull Boxe Canavesana gym under mentor Davide Greguoldo. Following the win, the Monaghan-born McKenna expressed ambitions to dominate the 160lb division, citing Gennadiy Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez as inspirations. His victory marks a significant moment for Irish boxing, as he becomes the first Irish world middleweight champion in over three decades. ~~His next potential opponent is expected to be~~ While a mandatory ~~challenger~~ defense against Amari ~~Jones.~~ Jones was previously discussed, McKenna has now reached an agreement to face WBO titleholder Denzel Bentley in a middleweight unification bout scheduled for late 2026. The fight is currently awaiting official sanctioning from both the IBF and WBO. On the undercard, the co-main event saw Callum Walsh extend his undefeated record to 17-0 with a unanimous decision victory over Tyler Denny in a 10-round middleweight bout, despite being dropped by Denny in the opening round. ~~Walsh's performance, alongside McKenna's title win, has led to discussions regarding a potential high-profile all-Irish matchup between the two fighters.~~ Additionally, Stevie McKenna recorded a first-round knockout against Owen O'Neill.

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