“Jaime Munguia rejects IBF world title offer, Osleys Iglesias’ quest continues,” Eye of the Tiger President Camille Estephan said today. X.
This is the second time a top contender has turned down the opportunity to fight Cuban-born Osleys “The Tornado” Iglesias for the vacant title, which became available after Terence Crawford relinquished the belt following his retirement on December 16, 2025.
Canelo Alvarez was the first to pass, citing recovery from elbow surgery. The IBF then shifted its focus to Munguia, the fourth place, but that option is now also off the table. With Munguia stepping down, the sanctioning body is expected to explore alternatives such as Pavel Silyagin in seventh place or Bruno Surace in tenth place.
Elsewhere in the division, Hamzah Sheeraz has been ordered to face Diego Pacheco for the vacant WBO title, while Callum Simpson is coming off a recent knockout victory that could affect his immediate availability.
There was speculation earlier this week that Munguia might agree to face Iglesias for a vacant title, but that scenario always seemed unlikely. The move would have been out of character for the 29-year-old, whose career has largely been built around controlled match-ups.
Outside of his loss to Canelo Alvarez in 2024, Munguia has rarely entered high-risk fights where he entered as anything but the favorite. A matchup with Iglesias would have represented a sharp departure from that pattern, with Munguia likely to be named the underdog against the undefeated Cuban.
The IBF title remains a huge opportunity for any competitor willing to accept the assignment. However, Iglesias’ ability and upside continue to complicate the search, forcing fighters and promoters to weigh the long-term reward against the immediate risk.
