MONTRÉAL — The “Boogeyman” is back.
IBO Super Middleweight World Champion Osleys Iglesias will look to unify his status at 168 pounds when he faces undefeated Russian contender Pavel Silyagin for the vacant IBF Super Middleweight World Championship on April 9 at the Casino de Montréal. The bout is expected to be the largest boxing event ever staged at the venue.
Promoted by Eye of the Tiger Management (EOTTM), the showdown headlines a stacked Montreal card and represents a defining moment in the super middleweight division.
Eye of the Tiger Confident in Iglesias’ Generational Talent
“Make no mistake about the challenge ahead of us: Pavel Silyagin is a world-class boxer. However, we believe Osleys Iglesias has generational talent, with the potential to be not only among the elite at super middleweight, but among the global elite — pound-for-pound. For us, it was unthinkable not to bring this fight home to Montréal, where we are confident Osleys will prove us right on April 9,” said Eye of the Tiger President Camille Estephan.
The April 9 clash marks Iglesias’ opportunity to add the prestigious IBF belt to his IBO championship and cement himself among boxing’s elite.
Iglesias: “I Will Be Ready to Take What Belongs to Me”
“It will be a great battle. I know I’m facing a very experienced opponent and I thank him for accepting the challenge. But I believe this opportunity has come to me for a reason. With God by my side, I will be ready to take what belongs to me. May the best man win — and as always, that will be me,” said IBO World Champion Osleys Iglesias.
Iglesias (14-0, 13 KOs), nicknamed “El Tornado,” has quickly become one of boxing’s most feared punchers. Since signing with Eye of the Tiger in March 2024, the Cuban southpaw has stopped Marcelo Coceres, Evgeny Shevedenko, Sena Agbeko, and Petro Ivanov — all inside the distance.
In November, Iglesias delivered the biggest win of his career, stopping Vladimir Shishkin in the eighth round to become the IBF mandatory challenger while the title was still held by Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
IBF Title Vacant After Canelo and Crawford Shakeup
The IBF championship became vacant following Canelo Alvarez’s upset loss to Terence Crawford and Crawford’s subsequent retirement. After several high-profile names — including Alvarez, Jaime Munguia, Hamzah Sheeraz, and Williamson — declined negotiations to face Iglesias, the opportunity was offered to IBF No. 7-ranked contender Pavel Silyagin.
Silyagin Ready to Make Russian Boxing History
Silyagin (16-0-1, 7 KOs), a 32-year-old Russian standout, has quietly built one of the division’s most solid résumés. Five of his victories have come against previously unbeaten opponents.
In his most recent outing last July, Silyagin dominated Argentine puncher Pablo “Pacman” Corzo over 10 rounds, handing him his first professional loss after 24 fights.
“When I found out about the official announcement of the IBF title fight with Iglesias — I saw my real chance to leave a mark in history of boxing. Put my name in Russian boxing history. To be honest, I still can’t believe it’s all real! From what I know — Osleys has got a strong punch and throws punches from different angles regularly. It’s going to be a long and tough fight — before it, we’ll definitely go with the team into the mountains to build up stamina, we’ll pay extra attention to that,” said IBF No. 7 contender Pavel Silyagin.
This bout will mark Silyagin’s first professional fight outside of Russia.
Manager Benedikt Poelchau Backs His Champion
“Osleys has dedicated his entire life to this moment, working relentlessly to earn this opportunity. This is a fantastic matchup — two elite undefeated fighters putting everything on the line for the IBF world title. We have the utmost respect for Silyagin, who has proven himself at the highest level since his amateur days. However, I have complete confidence in Osleys, who in my eyes is by far the best super middleweight in the world,” added Iglesias’ manager, Benedikt Poelchau.
Stacked Undercard in Montreal
The April 9 event will also feature:
- Wilkens Mathieu (15-0, 10 KOs) defending his WBC Continental and NABF super middleweight titles
- Leïla Beaudoin (13-2, 2 KOs) returning to action in Quebec
- Alexandre Gaumont (13-1, 9 KOs) looking to rebound
- Luis Santana (15-0, 7 KOs) competing for the vacant NABA lightweight title
- Erik Israyelyan (4-0, 2 KOs) in his first scheduled six-round bout
- Stéphane Fondjo (14-2-1, 9 KOs) returning following his bout with Steven Butler
The event, branded #IglesiasSilyagin, will air exclusively on Punching Grace in Quebec, with preliminary bouts broadcast on TVA Sports. The full card will be available worldwide on DAZN as part of a two-event deal between EOTTM and the global streaming platform.
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, and Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and is also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer. He’s also the main photographer for the 4CornersMafia Car Club.
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