Monaghan's Aaron McKenna gives masterclass to win world middleweight title
Aaron McKenna celebrates after the fight. Pic: ©INPHO/Gary Carr
Aaron McKenna claimed the vacant IBF middleweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Etinosa Oliha at the 3Arena in Dublin. It was a 118-110, 117-111, 116-112 win for the Monaghan fighter. The 27-year-old, unbeaten in a nine-year pro career, is just the fourth Irish fighter ever to hold a middleweight world title.
“Masterclass, masterclass,” was the call from McKenna’s corner as he stepped up for the final round. He had gone from lacking rhythm early on to building a very impressive performance. The blows came from angles Oliha could not defend against.
"Doesn't that sound lovely, Ireland?" McKenna, when asked how it felt to be called middleweight champion of the world, told Sky Sports.
"A new world champion. I said it for years, but I finally got my opportunity now.
"So that's a big thanks to Zuffa Boxing - Dana White, Nick Khan. I appreciate them for giving me this opportunity and what a platform. Delivering a fight for me back in Ireland.
"Nine years as a pro, never got the chance to fight here. Why? Just look at that. Beautiful fans.
"I'm not joking when I say since six-years-old, I thought about this moment my whole life. So for it to finally happen now at 27, it just goes to show everyone, don't give up. Always stay true to yourself and you can do anything."
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The first round was predictably cagey but McKenna appeared to do enough, landing jabs, to take it. The rounds which followed were fought at close quarters rather than at the range which it seemed would have suited McKenna better but the Irishman edged them.
As McKenna stood up for the sixth, his corner – led by his father Fergal – urged him to keep the pressure on his opponent. That pressure worked as McKenna found some real rhythm. Cracks started to show in the Oliha's defence and McKenna had his best round. That continued in the seventh as McKenna landed jabs and body shots.
The Italian was the more physically developed fighter but McKenna had the endurance and the technical ability. His lead and confidence grew in the eighth, ninth, tenth, and 11th.
"I knew he was going to be strong," said McKenna.
"But I made it harder than it should have been. But I'm not going to think about that until the next few weeks.
"I've done the job. I've done it easy enough. But it was tougher than what I thought it would be."
Asked what comes next, McKenna replied: "It doesn't matter, anyone, whoever wants it. I'm easy to find now, I've got a belt. Youse won't be hiding any more.
"I want to collect every single belt in boxing. I'm the best middleweight in the world. Super middleweight - I don't mind jumping up either. It doesn't matter to me."
Earlier in the evening, Aaron McKenna’s older brother Stevie got the evening off to the perfect start for the family as he knocked out fellow Irishman Owen O’Neill in the first round.
"It's hard to believe," said their father and trainer, Fergal McKenna.
"20 years of hard work, dedication, family commitments. To witness this, to be part of this Irish crowd, it's something special. Words can't describe it. It really is. I'm so proud of him.
"Two sons fighting on the one card, one of them to be world champion, and then Stephen earlier on to do what he done. You know, dreams come true.
"And thanks to all the Irish fans, you made it really easy for us. You drove Aaron on when he needed to push."
Just before the main event, Cork’s Callum Walsh beat Englishman Tyler Denny by unanimous decision in their middleweight bout. The 98-91, 98-91, 96-90 win – though it appeared a much closer encounter than how it was scored - continues an unbeaten start to Walsh’s career. He’s now 17-0.
“It was a lot harder than I thought,” said Walsh.
“I think the second round we clashed heads, I think he broke my orbital bone. It was crunching the whole time and my hands are a bit fucked too, but no excuses.
“The Irish are the best fans in the world and I love to be here. We did it again and I'm going to keep coming back.
“I'm very critical of myself. I felt I should have been a lot better. There was people like Andy Lee sitting there, you know, there was great fighters there and I wish I could have been better, you know, it was very tough, he's awkward, he's tricky, but we'll go again.”
The fight had an eventful start with two knockdowns in the opening two rounds. The first round had been going well for Walsh until he suffered a knockdown as he bent over, taking punches from Denny, and carelessly allowed his glove to touch the canvas.
Walsh emerged for the second round looking angry, perhaps mostly with himself for that mistake in the first three minutes. Midway through the second, Walsh did considerable damage as he knocked down Denny with a strong left hand. The three rounds which followed were messy but even.
Walsh began to take control in the seventh, getting back to what he’d being doing well earlier in the fight. In the eighth, both fighters were deducted points, Walsh for holding and Denny for hitting the back of his opponent’s head. Walsh walked to his corner with blood streaming from a cut above his left eye suffered in a clash of heads with Denny.
Denny finished the fight strongly, working hard in the ninth but Walsh landed some eye-catching blows in the tenth.
In an engrossing light heavyweight bout, Olympian Joe Ward had a unanimous decision victory over Artjom Kasparian - 97-93, 97-93, 96-94. The fight looked to be going Kasparian’s way in the early rounds but the Athlone fighter turned it in his favour.
“I knew it was going to be tough,” said Ward. “I've been out of the ring 20 months. It's a long time to be out in the ring.
“I knew Artjom was going to come strong. I knew I had to weather that storm. And I'm obviously going to take over in the second half. And that's what I feel like I did.
“Look, I believe there's still a lot better performances in me. Hopefully now with Nick Khan and Dana White, they can keep momentum going. Get me on the big fights. Get me on the big shows. Keep me busy. And the more fights, the better I get.
“The first couple of rounds, it was difficult to find the distance. Obviously, he was closing in really well. But I knew what I had in me. I knew I had the tank there. I knew I had the work done.
“And I knew I would get to him. It was only a matter of time when I started landing my left hand that I was going to hurt him and build on that.”
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