McKenna vows middleweight domination as heir to Golovkin and Canelo

Aaron McKenna beat Etinosa Oliha in Dublin on Saturday to become the new IBF middleweight world champion; the Irishman is determined to clean up "this mess of a division"; McKenna declared: "I think I'm going to be the man to take it over"

Sports Journalist @johndennen

Sunday 9 August 2026 07:04, UK

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New world champion Aaron McKenna is just getting started.

He secured the IBF middleweight title with a victory over Etinosa Oliha on memorable night at the 3Arena in Dublin.

Now he wants to take on the mantle of Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin by dominating the middleweight division.

He is targeting other champions. Denzel Bentley holds the WBO title, Carlos Adames the WBC and Erislandy Lara the WBA. McKenna is calling for all the top 160-pounders to fight one another.

"It doesn't matter [who's next], whoever wants it. I'm easy to find now, I have a belt. There's no hiding any more. I want to collect every single belt in boxing. I'm the best middleweight and super-middleweight in the world. I don't mind jumping up," he told Sky Sports.

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"I've been thinking about this moment since I was six years old. It just goes to show, don't give up, always stay true to yourself. You can do anything."

His ambitions extend far. "The middleweight division's there to be took over. It's been dying for years since GGG (Golovkin) and Canelo left it. I said it again, a year ago, I think I'm going to be the man to take it over," McKenna declared at his post-fight press conference.

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"No one really believed me. Until you put in performances like that and then they start listening. In life you've got to prove yourself sometimes. Tonight I've done that. I just hope one of the other world champions will take on the fight so we can clean up this mess of a division."

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He promises he will not shy away from any challenge.

"Anyone. I've said it before and I'll say it again I will literally fight anyone out there. I just want to unify, whatever it takes, prove I'm the best in the world. That's the sport of boxing. You look back in the day, the 80s and 90s, they all fought each other," McKenna said.

"And this is exactly why Zuffa Boxing's going to be the future. It's already taking over. Everybody's fighting each other, there's no more hiding."

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For the time being, he can enjoy his accomplishment.

"Twenty-one years in the making," he concluded. "I don't know how long this is going to take for this to seep in that this has finally happened that I've become world champion. I've been dreaming of this.

"For it to happen now, honestly it's literally unbelievable. I can't describe it."

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