Irish boxer Aaron McKenna will fight Etinosa Oliha for the IBF middleweight world championship at the 3Arena in Dublin on Saturday, August 8, live on Sky Sports. Both fighters refused to back down during a face off ahead of the title contest in Ireland.
The bout offers McKenna his dream world title opportunity after 20 years in the sport. Speaking to Sky Sports interviewer Andy Scott, the Irishman explained the significance of fighting for a championship on home soil.
"It's something I've been dreaming of since I started boxing at six years old. Finally to get a fight for the world title and for it to be in Ireland makes it extra special," McKenna told Sky Sports. "I have goosebumps just thinking about fighting in there with that Irish atmosphere. 20 years I've been boxing and it's all going to come down to this night."
Ambitions across weight divisions
McKenna, who claims he is the best middleweight in the world, believes victory against Oliha will open the door to massive fights. Standing at 6ft 2, he plans to dominate his current weight class before moving up through the divisions later in his career.
"I want to become undisputed and then become a multiple weight world champion. I'm 6ft 2, I can go all the way to heavyweight with my size! By the time my career's over I'll be fighting at heavyweight! That said, I want to clean up the middleweight division because it definitely is there to be cleaned up and just have the biggest fights possible," McKenna said.
One potential future opponent is Chris Eubank Jr. The Brighton boxer, who is the son of British legend Chris Eubank, last fought at middleweight and is expected to return at 168lbs. McKenna believes a matchup between them could 100 per cent happen in Ireland.
"Try and get a win for the Eubank name [in Ireland]," McKenna urged. "You had Eubank [Senior] and Steve Collins, they fought in Cork on Sky Sports. So you never know. If he wants to run a similar story back we can do it in Ireland on Sky Sports again, just recreate history."
Assessment of Etinosa Oliha
McKenna predicts that the August 8 event will create a major star for Irish boxing and draw a new audience to the sport. Outside the ring, McKenna also detailed an unlikely friendship with music artist Kendrick Lamar, whom he met during a training session with his brother.
Despite his confidence, McKenna acknowledges the threat posed by Oliha in Dublin. "He's a very good fighter, strong, he'll be game and any man that's fighting for world titles is going to be giving it their all," McKenna said. "I know what I have to do. I'm more than ready for it."
"The main goal has always been the world title since I started boxing and I've always believed I would become world champion. So on August 8 becoming world champion will definitely open a lot of doors for me," McKenna added.
The fight between Aaron McKenna and Etinosa Oliha airs live on Sky Sports, with contract-free streaming available on NOW. Sky Sports also features boxing highlights, push notifications, the weekly Toe2Toe podcast, and the full 2026 boxing schedule.
