Osleys Iglesias (proper) added to his already-intimidating status with a second-round stoppage of Sena Agbeko on Aug. 17. (Photograph by Vincent Ethier)
A 12 months in the past, Osleys Iglesias was an unknown Cuban fighter who lived in Germany. Those that did know him believed in his capability, however he hadn’t had the chance to step out of the shadows.
Quick-forward to as we speak, and that’s now not the case. Iglesias signed with Montreal-based promoter Camille Estephan’s Eye of The Tiger earlier this 12 months.
Iglesias has been stored energetic since then. He has fought thrice in 5 months, unheard-of by as we speak’s requirements, and the outcomes have been spectacular, as has his meteoric rise. Iglesias (12-0, 11 knockouts) is now ranked No. 3 at tremendous middleweight by The Ring and within the prime 15 by two of the 4 sanctioning our bodies. The 26-year-old southpaw additionally holds the lesser-regarded IBO title.
Whereas some fighters present nerves of their debut, whether or not it’s within the execs or with a brand new staff, it has not been that means for Iglesias.
His EOTT kickoff got here in March in opposition to Marcelo Coceres, a sturdy Argentine who gave then-WBO tremendous middleweight titlist Billy Joe Saunders all types of issues and was forward on one of many scorecards earlier than getting knocked out within the eleventh spherical.
Coceres had additionally shared a hoop with handful of different prime fighters – shedding, sure, however giving all of them robust outings, together with Edgar Berlanga (L UD 10), Erik Bazinyan (L UD 10), Meiirim Nursultanov (L UD 10) and rising pressure Diego Pacheco (L KO 9).
Iglesias wanted simply over two minutes to blow by means of Coceres, dropping and stopping him with a left hook.
“I felt happy with that efficiency,” he mentioned. “I’m the boxer who was the quickest [to stop him] in his skilled profession. [He has been] in good fights and virtually knocked out Berlanga.”
The character of the win led to a fast turnaround, and Iglesias was matched with once-beaten Evgeny Shvedenko in June. The robust Russian had been anticipated to place up stern resistance. He had solely tasted defeat in opposition to William Scull in an IBF eliminator and took Scull the total 12 rounds.
This time, Iglesias brutalized Shvedenko with one of the devastating first-round knockouts of this or another 12 months.
On l’appelle la Tornade
Le Okay.-O. au 1er spherical d’Osleys Iglesias sur Evgeny Shvedenko nous donne encore des frissons…
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We name him the TwisterThe primary spherical KO of Osleys Iglesias over Evgeny Shvedenko nonetheless give us chills…#ButlerVolny | #EottmArmy pic.twitter.com/i0HqeRu4E8
— Eye of the Tiger (@eottm_boxing) June 7, 2024
“I’m very completely satisfied that I used to be capable of supply the followers in Canada two such spectacular knockouts,” he mentioned. “Shvedenko is an effective boxer with excellent protection.
“I’m all of the extra happy that the techniques I rehearsed with my coach, Georg Bramowski, labored out so nicely. You may’t pressure the knockout. I need to field nicely after which persistently exploit each hole in my opponent’s recreation.”
Agbeko had been stopped by David Morrell in two rounds final December, though the Ghanaian was nonetheless on his ft when the ref stepped in. It left little margin for error by way of outdoing that, however that’s precisely what Iglesias did. He put Agbeko down within the opening spherical – the primary knockdown he had suffered his profession.
Así se vio y oyó desde ringside el KO de Osleys Iglesias a Sena Agbeko
@trboxeo #ESPNKnockOut #MbilliDerevyanchenko pic.twitter.com/ZM99x8dwne
— ESPN KnockOut (@ESPNKnockOut) August 18, 2024
Whereas Agbeko made it out of the primary spherical, it was a mere keep of execution and he was stopped within the second. The top got here 27 seconds faster, the truth is, than it did in opposition to Morrell. Iglesias later mentioned that wasn’t on his thoughts, but it surely actually gave the impression to be. Message despatched.
Watching these three fights, which have totaled 4 rounds of motion, you may’t assist however surprise how Eye of The Tiger will be capable of safe future opponents for its fighter.
“It’s been troublesome because the starting,” mentioned Estephan. “Folks know him. It’s very troublesome to get opponents. You’ve bought to get the {dollars} out, as a result of it’s not a picnic.
“We need to fast-track him and put him ready to be a compulsory, as a result of he won’t ever be invited.”
Iglesias-Agbeko came about on the undercard of the scrap between promotional stablemate Christian Mbilli vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko. He gained’t play second fiddle to anybody for lengthy.
In actual fact, Iglesias is subsequent tabbed to headline his personal present in Montreal on November 7.
In addition to exercise enjoying a key roll in a fighter’s improvement, it additionally helps to maintain them within the public’s thoughts.
You solely want to think about Morrell. He beforehand regarded sensational at tremendous middleweight, however he’s been preventing simply twice a 12 months since debuting in 2019. So he’s by no means been capable of construct on that momentum.
Iglesias is scorching, and he’ll attempt to hold issues rolling. The query now’s, who will reply the decision to face him within the fall? There might be a really small queue of keen contributors, that’s for certain.
Questions and/or feedback will be despatched to Anson at [email protected].
