Aaron McKenna plans to unify the middleweight division and rise to heavyweight, starting with his IBF world title fight against Etinosa Oliha in Dublin on Saturday.
The Irish middleweight headlines Zuffa Boxing 10 at the 3Arena. Before the fight, he outlined a long-term vision to clear out the 160lb division, take over at 168 and 175, and end his career at heavyweight.
"That's something we talked about a lot, finishing up at heavyweight," McKenna told Sky Sports. "I'm six foot three now and I have a very long reach as well. My body's the type of body that could fill out easily enough as well weight-wise."
Heavyweight ambition
McKenna believes he has the attributes to compete in the heaviest weight class. "But by the time I finish out, I plan to have at least one fight at heavyweight," he said.
"In the heavyweight division now, sometimes it just takes good footwork and boxing to beat them. It's different from the heavyweights back in the day."
His immediate focus is Oliha, who holds a 22-0 record. McKenna said he is ready for whatever the champion brings. "He's a very good fighter, 22-0, strong, he'll be game and any man that's fighting for world titles is going to be giving it their all," he said.
Targeting Adames and Bentley
If he wins the IBF belt, McKenna wants to target WBC titlist Carlos Adames and new WBO belt-holder Denzel Bentley. He said the middleweight division has been dying for years since Canelo and Gennady Golovkin, and he wants to bring it back to life.
McKenna sparred with Adames at Robert Garcia's gym in 2019 when McKenna was 19. "I had no problem with him," he said. "He doesn't like my style of fighting. When you put it on him, he kind of doesn't like that sort of stuff."
He also welcomed a unification bout with Bentley. Mike Borao, McKenna's manager, said a fight against Bentley is an intriguing possibility that would deliver a proper Ireland versus UK showdown.
Oliha task
Borao cautioned that McKenna must first beat Oliha, and noted that Bentley has a mandatory defence waiting against Yoenli Hernandez.
"Obviously the focus right now is squarely on this Saturday for Aaron McKenna," Borao said. "He has to get past Etinosa Oliha first before anyone starts mapping out the future."
McKenna said his priority remains the weekend. "All I'm focused on right now is this Saturday. I have a job to do with Oliha and that's becoming world champion and I will become world champion," he said.
