Eye of the Tiger President Camille Estephan’s may soon have to pit two of his most valuable assets against one and other as the Canadian promoter slowly takes over the super middleweight division.
I’ve long pressed Estephan on the temptation of matching current WBC world titlist and Cuban contender Osleys Igleias together, but Estephan has always expressed that he would prefer to get them if the ring once they both have world titles to their names. That moment is likely to arrive at the Montreal Casino on Thursday night when Iglesias squares off with Pavel Silyagin for the vacant IBF world title.
“We do want to give Canelo a chance to fight for the WBC title, we’ll beat, beat him in a rematch and then we can talk,” Estephan said of the prospect of Mbilli and Iglesias sharing the ring. “If they have the WBA, WBO, WBA and IBF and even the IBO titles between the two of them, they will certainly face each other!”
Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs), who was elevated to WBC champion following Terence Crawford’s retirement early this year, is pressing hard for mega-fight with Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez later this year. Iglesias (14-0, 13 KOs) has got plenty of miles at just 28-years-old. Prior to dispatching of Vladimir Shishhkin inside eight rounds last September, the southpaw had not gone past five rounds in his last five appearances.
Over the past two years Mibilli and Iglesias have struggled to lure opposition to Estephan’s headquarters in Quebec, with various big name fights and title eliminators falling through. As time has passed the inevitably of Estephan’s men becoming champions has been achieved due to vacant title fights and elevations. A fight between the pair may also become inevitable.
Elsewhere at super middleweight the vacant WBO title will be contested by Hamzah Sheeraz and Alem Begic on the Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven undercard on May 23. The WBA title is currently in the hands of Jose Armando Resendiz, who will defend his belt against Jaime Munguia on the Gilberto Ramirez vs David Benavidez undercard on May 2 in Las Vegas.
Since the splintering of titles since Crawford’s departure from the sport, Canelo finds himself ranked in first place for Mbilli’s title. A bout between the pair is in talks for September, according to Estephan.
