A historic night for promotional newcomers Zuffa Boxing at the 3Arena delivered exactly the kind of tactical warfare and domestic theater the packed Dublin crowd came to see. Co Monaghan's Aaron McKenna etched his name into the sport's elite tier on Saturday night, capturing the vacant IBF World Middleweight title with a unanimous decision victory over previously unbeaten Italian contender Etinosa Oliha. With the win, McKenna moves to 21-0 and joins Katie Taylor and Belfast featherweight Anthony Cacace as the only active boxing world champions on the island of Ireland.
Known as 'The Silencer', McKenna controlled much of the 12-round affair behind a stinging, authoritative jab. After a measured opening, the fight unlocked in the third round as the Monaghan native expanded his punch repertoire and began dictating terms at close range. Oliha, dropping to 22-1, struggled to find his own openings while attempting to counter McKenna's steady output. When the Italian tried to force the issue and alter the rhythm in the eighth round, McKenna comfortably shifted to the backfoot, neutralizing the incoming pressure. The judges scored the bout 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112, reflecting a clear tactical and structural advantage.
In the co-main event, Cork's Callum Walsh moved to 17-1 with a wide decision win over former European champion Tyler Denny of England. The fight featured an unusually chaotic opening sequence when Denny leaned his weight on Walsh in a clinch and followed up with two punches for a late first-round knockdown. Walsh answered immediately in the second stanza, flooring Denny with a sharp left-hand counter. From there, Walsh relied on superior hand speed while working off the backfoot against Denny's relentless pressure. Despite a point deduction for holding and sustaining a late cut over his right eye, Walsh swept the scorecards at 98-91, 98-91, and 96-90.
The undercard provided its own drama through a grueling light-heavyweight battle and an immediate callout. Joe Ward improved to 13-1 after surviving a major energy dip in the fourth round against previously unbeaten Artjom Kasparian. Pinned to the ropes and seemingly exhausted, Ward bounced back in the fifth by stunning Kasparian with a straight left and a heavy uppercut, ultimately sweeping the final rounds to claim a unanimous decision (97-93, 97-93, 96-94). Earlier, Stevie McKenna made quick work of Casey James Streeter, stopping the American in just 64 seconds to record the 16th stoppage of his career. Immediately after his victory, Stevie called out fellow countryman Callum Walsh, setting the stage for potential domestic blockbusters under the Zuffa banner.
Sources
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- bbc.co.uk original
- irishtimes.com original
- irishmirror.ie original
