The IBF middleweight championship is on the line this Saturday night in Dublin, and it’s a huge one: Aaron McKenna, rocking an undefeated 20-0 record with 10 KOs, is stepping into the ring against Etinosa Oliha, also perfect at 22-0 with 10 KOs, for the vacant title. McKenna is a staggering -410 favorite heading into his home country showdown, and that tells you everything about the hype around him.
McKenna vs. Oliha: Undefeated Records Collide for Gold
McKenna fights in front of his Irish countrymen, and you know that crowd is gonna be absolutely wild. The dude has been grinding, stepping up his competition, getting ready for this exact moment. In 2023, he handed Uisma Lima his first career loss, a solid win. Three fights later, he pulled off his biggest career win: a unanimous decision over former world champ Liam Smith. That Smith fight was huge, not just a resume booster; it was on the massive Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr. undercard at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The man’s been on big stages, no doubt.
Oliha is no joke either, still rocking that perfect 22-0 record. He’s been doing his thing, quietly putting in work. His first 16 fights went down in Italy, then his last six were all in Germany. He hasn’t faced those “world-class or household name” guys, but he’s consistently found ways to win. Now he’s got his shot at a world championship. This is a massive test for both, but those odds on McKenna are just insane.
Callum Walsh’s Rise and a Co-Feature with High Stakes
Don’t sleep on the co-feature, because Zuffa Boxing centerpiece Callum Walsh, sitting at 16-0 with 11 KOs, is also heading home to Ireland to face Tyler Denny. Walsh’s career has been on a serious upward trajectory, with Dana White himself backing him big time. Remember Zuffa Boxing 01? Walsh was the first big signing, headlined that event, and took a clear decision over Carlos Ocampo. He’s been waiting to get back to Ireland, saying, “I was the first ever Zuffa main event and then back here now, six months later, seven months later, whatever it is. For me, ideally, I would have been back a bit sooner, but we’re back in Ireland and that’s the main thing. The last time was unbelievable. The crowd, everything was unbelievable last time, so I can only imagine how this is going to be.”
Denny, on the other hand, comes in at 21-4-3 with only 1 KO in his 28 career fights. The source pretty much calls him a “clear step down” compared to Ocampo or Fernando Vargas for Walsh. Denny has losses to Hamzah Sheeraz and George Liddard, with that Liddard loss being his most recent trip to the ring. Walsh is a hefty -650 favorite, so Zuffa is clearly setting him up for another big performance at home. A Joseph Ward vs. Artjom Ka fight is also on the card.
This whole Zuffa Boxing 10 card is going down Saturday. If you want to catch all the action, stream it live on Paramount+. Just grab a subscription, starting at $8.99 a month or $89.99 a year, and it even includes every UFC numbered event and Fight Night. Two undefeated fighters battling for a world title and Zuffa’s golden boy putting on a show at home? You seriously don’t want to miss what happens when that first bell rings.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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