Osleys Iglesias Deserves Your Attention Thursday

What to Know

• Boxing’s biggest power-punching world champion, Osleys Iglesias, steps into the ring Thursday, October 8 in his home of Quebec City, Canada, for his first title defense against Denmark’s Oliver Zaren.
• The entire fight card airs on DAZN Boxing in the U.S. starting with prelim fights at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
• The card also features highly regarded prospects Wilkens Mathieu and Iman Khataev.

Osleys Iglesias is the least-known world champion in one of boxing’s most competitive divisions. It’s a shame to see boxing fans missing out on his exciting and entertaining style.

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Fans get a chance to catch up as Iglesias, a native of Cuba now based in Berlin, Germany (15-0, 14 KOs), defends his title against undefeated Oliver Zaren of Denmark (19-0-1, 8 KOs) in the main event of the Eye of the Tiger-promoted card on Thursday, October 8 at the Théâtre Capitole in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The card airs on DAZN Boxing in the U.S. starting with prelim fights at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

A Quebec record nine titles will be on the line across eight fights, including regional belts.

Is Osleys Iglesias The World’s Best Super Middleweight?

Known as “El Tornado,” Iglesias is out to prove not only that he is better than Zaren, but also that he is the best super-middleweight in the division.

After Terence Crawford’s retirement and Canelo Alvarez’s relative inactivity, BoxRec has moved Iglesias to the top of its division rankings. Iglesias even outranks his more famous stablemate Christian Mbilli, who will face Alvarez in defense of the WBC title later this month.

Last April, Iglesias captured the vacant IBF title by forcing Pavel Silyagin to retire after eight rounds, his first loss. Before that, Iglesias earned his world title shot by stopping another Russian contender, Vladimir Shishkin, in the eighth round.

A number that might surprise boxing fans: Iglesias boasts the highest knockout percentage of any current full champion in any weight division at 93 percent. Check it yourself. Abdullah Mason and Rafael Espinoza come close at over 85 percent. If you love KOs, keep your eyes on El Tornado.

A Nation Behind Oliver Zaren

Zaren, known as “The Great Dane,” will have an entire nation rooting him on as he follows in the footsteps of his mentor Mikkel Kessler, who is now Zaren’s trainer. If Zaren defeats Iglesias, he will be the first Danish boxer in a decade to win a world title. But Zaren is taking a major step up in competition.

“This fight is a dream come true for me, a dream I have cherished since childhood, and one that will ultimately come true with my victory. Osleys Iglesias is strong, tall, powerful, and I know he scares even the world’s elite… but not me, because I know my level. On October 8, I will not come in Quebec City as a visitor. I will come as a conqueror,” said Zaren.

Zaren’s last fight took place outdoors in Spain. It was declared a draw after a rainstorm stopped it. Now he faces another storm in El Tornado, and if Iglesias lives up to predictions, there will be only a referee between him and a weather problem.

Wilkens Mathieu Hot On The Heels of Mbilli and Iglesias

In the co-main event, another talented super middleweight fighting out of Quebec, Wilkens Mathieu (16-0, 11 KOs) will defend his NABF regional title against a fighter he calls his toughest test, Vladimir Shishkin of Russia (17-2, 11 KOs).

Last June, Wilkens became the first to stop Olympic medalist Esquiva Falcao. “After beating Vladimir Shishkin, William Scull and Osleys Iglesias both went on to fight for world titles. So I sincerely hope the same thing happens for me, because I already feel ready to beat anyone in the world at 168 pounds,” said Mathieu.

The 21-year-old Quebec native is already the youngest top-ranked super middleweight: seventh by the WBC, 14th by the IBF, and in the top 15 by the WBA and WBO. If Mathieu can take care of Shishkin, especially if he can stop him, he will take a big step up in those rankings.

Leïla Beaudoin Next in Line?

Leila Beaudoin is chasing down the full WBA World Super Featherweight title. Photo: Jeff Lockhart, Eye of the Tiger

WBA Interim Super Featherweight title holder Leïla Beaudoin (15-2, 2 KOs) of Bas-Saint-Laurent, Quebec will return to Quebec City for her first title defense against the number two ranked contender and Latin American champion, Brisa Alfonzo of Argentina (9-1-2, 1 KO).

Beaudoin won her title by dominating Colombia’s Paulina Angel last June, becoming the third Québec woman to win a world title.

“Winning a world title is one thing and defending it is another, but once again, I’ll have the crowd behind me, and I don’t intend to disappoint my fans on October 8,” said Beaudoin.

Like Bernard Hopkins, Alfonzo lost her pro debut. But she’s won or gotten a draw in every fight since then.

The stakes are high for the winner, who could be elevated to full champion status. Beaudoin’s former rival Alycia Baumgardner will fight for the world title at lightweight next month. If Baumgardner wins and decides to remain at lightweight, the interim super-featherweight champion will automatically be elevated.

This has actually happened before at EOTTM, when Mary Spencer and Christian Mbilli captured the full titles after Terri Harper and Terence Crawford vacated their titles before facing them.

Undercard Highlights From Quebec City

In the first fight between two EOTTM fighters in more than five years, Olympic medalist Imam Khataev (12-1, 11 KOs) will defend his NABF light heavyweight title against Montreal’s NABF champion, Luis Santana (16-0, 7 KOs), in a bout between undefeated fighters.

“We’re talking about a ‘Tiger vs. Tiger’ fight, but in the jungle, only one can be king. And the crown isn’t given, it’s taken,” said Santana.

“Our motto is simple: we refuse no one. I have a lot of respect for Luis Santana and his team. He is a man and a boxer I appreciate, but this time, our paths cross. One zero will have to disappear from someone’s record, and I intend to make sure it isn’t Dzmitry’s,” said the trainer of the Belarusian-born fighter, Samuel Décarie-Drolet.

The Thetford Mines warrior, the popular Thomas Chabot (13-1, 8 KO), will put his WBC Continental Featherweight title on the line against veteran Jose Antonio Sanchez of Spain (18-3-1, 6 KO).

“Historic is a term that is often overused in sports, but this time, the numbers speak for themselves: nine titles on the line at a single card in Quebec is simply unprecedented,” said Eye of the Tiger President Camille Estephan.

“It is all the more exciting for us to present an event of this magnitude at the Capitole, one of the most beautiful venues in North America, where every seat gives our fans the opportunity to be at the heart of the action.”

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