Osleys Iglesias stops Pavel Silyagin, claims IBF 168 title

Osleys Iglesias stopped Pavel Silyagin after eight rounds to win the vacant IBF super middleweight title on Thursday night in Montreal.

Silyagin remained on his stool at the end of round eight after taking sustained punishment, giving Iglesias a TKO victory and adding the IBF belt to his IBO title.

Iglesias (15-0, 14 KOs) set the pace early and kept control throughout. He worked behind a steady jab and mixed in shots to the body, forcing Silyagin to stay on the move and react.

The damage started almost immediately. In the opening round, Iglesias landed a right hook that caused swelling around Silyagin’s left eye. Between rounds, his corner used the end swell to manage it, but the eye stayed puffy and never fully recovered.

Silyagin (16-1-1, 7 KOs) relied on footwork and lateral movement, circling to his right to avoid being set in front of Iglesias. He found occasional openings, but his output remained low, and he did not land with enough force to change the direction of the fight.

The damage built further in round five when Iglesias landed an uppercut that broke Silyagin’s nose. From there, his face showed the wear from the steady pressure.

Iglesias stayed patient and kept walking forward, picking his spots without rushing. The pace remained in his favor as the rounds went on.

In round eight, a left hand from Iglesias hurt Silyagin again and left him under pressure at the bell. When the round ended, his corner made the decision to stop the fight.

The title had been vacated by Terence Crawford, leaving the belt open at 168 pounds.

 “We have the WBC with Christian Mbilli and the IBF with Osleys Iglesias. We’re missing the other two Belts, and we’re going to go after them. Not on the same night, but if they want on consecutive weekends,” said promoter Camile Estephan. “And if Mbilli and Osleys get all the Belts, they could unify one against the other. Not before.”

Iglesias now holds a world title for the first time, closing the fight through steady pressure and accumulated damage rather than a single shot.