Iglesias meets Pavel Silyagin on April 9 for the vacant IBF super middleweight title, a position that only opened up once Terence Crawford moved on. The Cuban-born Iglesias has spent much of the past year waiting for opportunities that never came, with several contenders refusing to face him in elimination situations.
If everyone ducks Osleys Iglesias (14-0, 13 KOs), the only way to stop being invisible is to grab a piece of the hardware they’ll eventually have to get through.
“We talked for a long time about this guy being the boogeyman of the super middleweight division,” Estephan told Boxing Social. “I think this man is going to deliver highlights for boxing fans for the next decade.”
If Iglesias destroys Silyagin, the public pressure begins to outweigh the promotional protection. When the fans start screaming that Canelo or Mbilli is “dodging the real champion”, the money for the fight finally reaches a level where the risk becomes worth it.
The real danger for Iglesias is the guard game. If he wins the IBF and then sits on it for 12 months because no one will sign the contract, he loses his momentum. Camille’s job isn’t just to keep him active enough that the boxing world can’t look away.
Osleys (28) already stopped Vladimir Shishkin, who was a solid goalkeeper. Assuming he does the same with Silyagin, the “Boogeyman” tag officially graduates from a promotional slogan to a division reality.
“He’s extremely skilled and very technical. So, it’s going to be a very tough fight for sure. But we do believe that Iglesias is just in a different league,” Estephan said of Iglesias.
Camille Estephan is right to be harsh about it, because silence is the only thing that will get these top names off the hook. Looking at the division for this April 9 fight against Pavel Silyagin, the level of avoidance has peaked.
The list of guys who looked the other way rather than fight Osleys is becoming a “Who’s Who” of the division:
Canelo Alvarez: Actually, the IBF declined the order to face Iglesias, citing an arm injury.
Jaime Munguia: Took the opportunity to follow a different route (probably Resendiz for the WBA).
Hamzah Sheeraz: Also turned down the IBF path in favor of other options.
When guys of that caliber choose a different direction despite a world title on the line, it confirms exactly what Camille says: they avoid a loss.
