Why Pavel Silyakin ended up being a rival

Silyagin, a 32-year-old former amateur, entered the fight with an undefeated record of 16-0-1 and seven knockouts. He didn’t get here because the fans were calling for the game. He is here because the IBF pored over its list and has no other options. Reports indicate that the sanctioning body first considered pairing Iglesias with Canelo Alvarez, Jaime Munguia and Hamza Sheraz to fill the vacant belt, but all three turned down the offer. Silyakin accepted the fight after three more well-known names turned it down.

That’s what this fight is really about. Silymarin is not a money choice. When other options were exhausted, he accepted the competition. Winning the world title would bring him the belt, but it wouldn’t suddenly change the way the division treats him.

Across the ring stood Iglesias, the 28-year-old Cuban southpaw known as “El Tornado.” He’d spent years building a reputation, and the opportunity had eluded him. Iglesias is clumsy, sharp, and has real one-hit power. Insiders have long considered him a problematic opponent, which helps explain why his name keeps popping up in conversations but rarely in contracts.

Familiar spot at super middleweight

This has happened before in the super middleweight division. Fighters like David Benavidez and David Morel have found themselves in similar situations, dangerous enough to avoid and easily stagnant when there was bigger business elsewhere. Even Morel, holding the belt, didn’t immediately change his situation.

At 168 years old, winning the championship holds no promise other than the title itself. This fight won’t make Iglesias or Ciliakin an overnight star. It just puts the winner in the room and lets everyone see if anything results.