The IBF super middleweight belt became vacant after Crawford left the division, leaving two unbeaten contenders to fill the opening at the Montreal Casino. It is a title fight created by absence, not by one man taking it from another.
Iglesias has that deceptive, “wiry” power. He doesn’t look like a traditional bruiser, but his leverage and timing are devastating. 13 knockouts in 14 fights tell the story.
Iglesias (14-0, 13 KOs) comes in as the favorite and already holds the IBO belt. His style has been built on pressure and power, walking opponents down and breaking them early. That approach has worked so far, but this is the first time he’s facing someone who is unlikely to give him that kind of fight.
Iglesias has this way of making the ring feel like it’s shrinking every second. His last opponent, Vladimir Shishkin, was a legit, top-tier contender who had never been stopped, and Iglesias crushed him physically and mentally before the finish in the 8th.
For tonight, I’m leaning toward another stoppage, but Silyagin might make him work a little longer than some expect. He has a very high ring IQ and a safety-first style that can be incredibly frustrating. He’s 16-0-1 for a reason.
The problem for Silyagin (16-0-1, 7 KOs) is that Iglesias is a body-punching specialist. If Silyagin tucks up in that high guard to protect his chin, Iglesias will just hammer away at the ribs and liver until those hands drop.
If Silyagin chooses to stay on the move the entire fight, as Shishikin did, he’s going to need to be conditioned because he’s going to be under constant pressure.
Iglesias is also fighting in front of his home crowd at the Montreal Casino. That atmosphere usually turns him into a shark that smells blood early.
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