Ireland's Aaron McKenna wins world middleweight title at the 3Arena

Kenneth Fox

Aaron McKenna claimed the vacant IBF middleweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Etinosa Oliha at the 3Arena in Dublin.

As the Irish Examiner reports, 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."

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."