Aaron McKenna: IBF champion set for world middleweight unification showdown with WBO title holder Denzel Bentley
IBF middleweight champion Aaron McKenna is expected to face WBO champion Denzel Bentley in a unification clash before the end of 2026; McKenna extended his 100 per cent pro record with a hometown win over Etinosa Oliha in Dublin
Friday 4 September 2026 12:39, UK
Aaron McKenna and Denzel Bentley have agreed to a world middleweight title unification fight this year, Sky Sports understands.
McKenna claimed the IBF belt with an impressive points win over Etinosa Oliha last month in Dublin and could soon have an opportunity to add another world title.
Bentley was elevated to WBO champion in July after Janibek Alimkhanuly relinquished the belt.
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The Londoner had previously beaten Endry Saavedra to become WBO interim champion in April.
Speaking after his world title win, McKenna vowed to dominate the division.
"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."
McKenna ready to "clean up" division
Before beating Oliha, McKenna told Sky Sports about his intention to "clean up" the division, go undisputed and eventually finish his career as a heavyweight.
"I'm 6ft 3in 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," McKenna told Sky Sports. "Once I'm done at 160lb, take over 168 and then 175. But by the time I finish out, I plan to have at least one fight at heavyweight.
"The last two big fighters in it [middleweight division] were Canelo and GGG [Gennady Golovkin], so I kind of want to bring big-time boxing in the middleweight division and bring it back to life. [Bentley] would be another good fight."
