Osleys Iglesias has made it clear he believes a future fight with Canelo Alvarez may never materialize, as the unbeaten Cuban champion continues to rise in the super middleweight division. Iglesias recently eyed the undisputed crown after capturing the title vacated by Terence Crawford, while also questioning whether Canelo would be willing to face his aggressive style, even as both fighters hold titles at 168 pounds.
Speaking on DAZN’s Inside The Ring, Iglesias suggested the matchup would be difficult to make and hinted that the Mexican star may avoid the risk. “It’s complicated with Canelo,” Iglesias said. “Canelo would not want to fight me. I would hope that he would give me the fight and allow me to demonstrate that Cuban fighters, and more specifically that Osleys Iglesias, is a different breed.”
Iglesias enters the conversation as one of boxing’s most dangerous emerging champions. He recently captured the IBF super middleweight title with an eighth-round stoppage win over Pavel Silyagin, improving his undefeated record to 15-0 with 14 knockouts.
Iglesias believes his pressure style is a major problem
Iglesias believes his combination of size, pressure, and punching power creates a difficult challenge for any fighter in the division. His recent run of knockout victories has fueled growing talk about potential unification bouts at super middleweight.
Osleys Iglesias and Bernard Donfack exchage punches. Alex Grimm/Getty Images
A possible future matchup could depend on the outcome of Canelo’s scheduled fight against Christian Mbilli on Sept. 12 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Mbilli, who now holds the WBC title, will look to test Canelo in a high-profile clash that could reshape the division.
Iglesias also weighed in on that fight, pointing to the stylistic contrast between both men. “It’s an interesting fight,” he said. “Mbilli is more combative, and Canelo is more selective, looking for his opponent to make mistakes.”
Canelo remains the biggest target at super middleweight
Even after his loss to Terence Crawford last September, Canelo remains the central figure in the super middleweight division and one of boxing’s biggest global stars. Any champion at 168 pounds continues to view him as the ultimate test.
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For Iglesias, however, the focus is on proving he belongs at the elite level while continuing to build momentum as a feared knockout artist. Whether Canelo ever agrees to the fight remains uncertain, but the Cuban champion has already made his stance clear.
