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The Cuban Osleys Iglesias was crowned world champion in the 168-pound category of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) after defeating the Russian Pavel Silyagin by corner stoppage at the end of the eighth round, in the main event of the evening held on Thursday at the Montreal Casino in the Canadian province of Quebec.
With this victory, "El Tornado" achieved an undefeated professional record of 15-0, with 14 wins coming before the limit, solidifying his status as one of the most dominant Cuban boxers of his generation in the professional arena.
From the opening bell, Iglesias took control of the action and with a precise and relentless jab, kept his previously undefeated opponent on the defensive the entire time.
In the fifth round, a uppercut from the Cuban fractured Silyagin's nose and caused swelling around his left eye, which worsened as the rounds progressed and the strikes continued.
By the eighth episode, it was clear that the matancero had outmatched his opponent. When the bell rang for the ninth round, the Russian's corner chose not to continue with unnecessary punishment.
The FIB super middleweight title (168 pounds) had become vacant following the retirement of Terence "Bud" Crawford, who had won it by defeating Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez on September 13, 2025, in Las Vegas, but he relinquished it in December of that year upon confirming his exit from professional boxing.
Iglesias entered this fight as the mandatory challenger for the IBF with a record of 14-0 and 13 knockouts, having defeated opponents like the veteran Isaac Chilemba, Sena Agbeko and the Ukrainian Ivanov, all defeated in Montreal.
The title of champion from the FIB automatically puts the Cuban in the spotlight, and the next steps in his career should be unifying fights in one of the most talent-rich divisions in all of boxing.
Cuba has a long tradition of world champions, both in amateur and professional boxing, with figures like Guillermo Rigondeaux, Yuriorkis Gamboa, and Robeisy Ramírez.
Iglesias is now emerging as a new figure for the current generation of Cuban boxers, being the first Cuban to win the IBF title in the super middleweight category.
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