Osleys Iglesias Faces Pavel Silyagin For Vacant IBF Belt

Why Pavel Silyagin Ended Up because the Opponent

Silyagin, a 32 yr old former amateur standout, enters the fight unbeaten at 16-0-1 with seven knockouts. He didn’t get here because fans were calling for the matchup. He came since the IBF worked through its list and ran out of alternatives. Reports indicate the sanctioning body first explored matching Iglesias with Canelo Alvarez, Jaime Munguia, and Hamzah Sheeraz for the vacant belt, with all three declining. Silyagin accepted the fight after three higher known names turned it down.

Silyagin will not be the cash option. He accepted the bout once other options were exhausted. Winning a world title would put a belt around his waist, however it wouldn’t suddenly change how the division treats him.

Across the ring stands Iglesias, a 28-year-old Cuban southpaw called “El Tornado.” He has built a status that carries through gyms and scouting reports while big offers lag behind. He brings a clumsy rhythm, sharp timing, and one-shot power that may change a round straight away. Inside fight circles, he’s viewed as a difficult project, which explains why his name stays within the discussion more often than it lands on signed paperwork.

A Familiar Spot at Super Middleweight

This has played out before at super middleweight. Fighters like David Benavidez and David Morrell once found themselves in similar spots, dangerous enough to avoid and straightforward to stall when greater business was available elsewhere. Even Morrell holding a belt didn’t immediately change his situation.

At 168, winning a title doesn’t promise much beyond the title itself. This fight is not going to turn Iglesias or Silyagin into stars overnight.