Unbeaten contenders Osleys “ El Tornado” Iglesias and Pavel Silyagin successfully made weight Wednesday ahead of their showdown for the vacant IBF super middleweight title, set to headline an Eye of the Tiger card this Thursday, April 9, at the Cabaret du Casino in Montreal.
Cuba’s Iglesias (14-0, 13 KOs) tipped the scales at 167.5 pounds, matching Russia’s Silyagin (16-0-1, 7 KOs), who came in at the same weight. The bout is scheduled for 12 rounds, with Iglesias’ IBO title also at stake.
The IBF belt became vacant following the retirement of Terence Crawford last December, months after his September victory over Canelo Alvarez. Thursday’s contest will crown a new titleholder at 168 pounds, offering both fighters the most significant opportunity of their respective careers.
Iglesias, 28, enters the bout riding an eight-fight knockout streak that has steadily elevated his standing in the division. During that run, the Cuban southpaw scored notable stoppage wins over former title contender Vladimir Shishkin, as well as Petro Ivanov, Sena Agbeko, Evgeny Shvedenko and Marcelo Coceres. Now based in Berlin, Iglesias has emerged as one of the division’s most dangerous finishers and will look to convert momentum into championship gold.
Silyagin a 32 year old native of Novosibirsk, Russia, arrives with an unbeaten record of his own and will be making his first appearance in a world title fight. Ranked No. 7 by the IBF, Silyagin has won his last three bouts, including a unanimous decision victory over Pablo Exequiel Crozo in July. He also fought to a draw against Shvedenko in 2023, a common opponent with Iglesias.
Despite the lack of widespread buzz surrounding the matchup, the fight presents a compelling clash between two unbeaten fighters with contrasting styles and trajectories. With a world title and divisional positioning on the line, Iglesias and Silyagin now stand one day away from determining a new champion in the super middleweight ranks.
Current Iglesias vs Silyagin lineup and weights
- Osleys Iglesias (167.5 lbs) vs. Pavel Silyagin (167.5 lbs)
- Arthur Biyarslanov (139.4 lbs) vs. Jimerr Espinosa (139.4 lbs)
- Luis Santana (134.1 lbs) vs. Chann Thonson (134.9 lbs)
- Leila Beaudoin (131.7 lbs) vs. Victoria Noelia Bustos (130.1 lbs)
- Alexandre Gaumont (159.7 lbs) vs. Luka Lozo (159.2 lbs)
- Erik Israyelyan (131.5 lbs) vs. Franco Filgueira (130.7 lbs)
- Stephane Fondjo (167.5 lbs) vs. Marcos Vazquez Rodriguez (166.8 lbs)
