IBO super middleweight champion Osley Iglesias hopes to challenge the winner of the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight if he’s victorious in his September 4, 2025, final IBF 168-lb title eliminator against #2-ranked Vladimir Shishkin at the Montreal Casino in Montreal, Canada.
Turki’s Other Plans
Iglesias hasn’t been mentioned as a potential option for Canelo to fight in early 2026. Instead, Saudi boxing promoter, Turki Alalshikh, has said that Hamzah Sheeraz “deserves” to fight Alvarez following his win over Edgar Berlanga on July 12th.
Turki has also mentioned the winner of the November 15th rematch between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn as a possibility to fight Canelo. Osley Iglesias has the punching power and the amateur pedigree from his long amateur career in Cuba to fight Canelo.
In the amateur ranks, Iglesias had wins over David Morrell, two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Arlen Lopez, and 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Gleb Bakshi.
The former Cuban amateur star, Iglesias (13-0, 12 KOs) is ranked #3 with the IBF after six years in the professional ranks. Osley, 27, is a powerful puncher with KO strength in either hand. He’s still not as well known as other super middleweights because fights haven’t been shown as often in the U.S as other more notable 168-lb fighters.
Iglesias Seeks Canelo
“We are going out there to fight, hopefully he is going to come and fight, but if I see that he is irritating [by fighting defensively], then I am going to eat him alive,” said Osley Iglesias to Boxingnewsonline about his September 4th title eliminator for the IBF super middleweight belt.
“It’s going to be a great fight; none of my fights are boring,” Iglesias said. “If Canelo/Crawford is the opportunity after this fight, I am going to welcome it and go ahead, but I’m not focused on that. If they give me the opportunity, I will be ready, and I hope that they do.”