Eye of the Tiger’s new recruit, Osleys Iglesias (9-0, 8 KOs), will arrive in Montreal for the first time to compete in a 12-round bout on the already packed card on March 7.
To make a proper introduction, the current IBO champion of the super-middleweights aims to impress the Quebec audience against the ever-competitive Marcelo Coceres (32-6-1, 18 KOs) in the ring at the Cabaret du Casino de Montreal. The complete card, featuring the Quebec-Ontario showdown Butler-Rolls as the main event, will be broadcast live from 7:00 p.m. on Punching Grace and ESPN+ in the United States.
A southpaw boxer of Cuban origin, Osleys Iglesias is currently ranked 11th globally according to BoxRec, 16th by the WBC, and holds the IBO belt in the 168 lb category. He will be fighting in front of Quebec fans for the first time, and his explosive style is sure to captivate. Iglesias proved himself in the amateur ranks with 200 fights and significant victories against fellow Cubans Arlen Lopez and David Morell.
He turned professional in 2019 and has since dominated each of his matches. He showcased his skills against veteran Isaac Chilemba, going the distance over 12 rounds and winning by unanimous decision. This March 7 fight is scheduled for 12 rounds, and it’s likely that Coceres will give his all to go the distance, even though his opponent is known as a powerful puncher.
The Argentine right-hander brings extensive experience with 225 boxing rounds under his belt compared to the Cuban’s 34. Marcelo Coceres has fought against big names in the super-middleweight division such as Billy Joe Saunders, Edgar Berlanga, Diego Pacheco, and also against the current #2 WBA, #3 WBC, and #5 IBF, Erik Bazinyan. Nicknamed “El Terrible,” Coceres is experienced in championship fights and is accustomed to battling in hostile territory.
Physically advantaged by his stature and longer reach than Iglesias, he has what it takes to keep the Cuban southpaw at bay and give him a tough challenge.
“Adding another exciting fight on March 7 to a card that was already very interesting with the Butler vs. Rolls final and the WBC world championship for Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse makes us very proud.
“It also shows that boxing in Quebec attracts world-class talent much to the delight of boxing fans. Iglesias vs. Coceres promises to be a hostile fight that should get the crowd going,” notes EOTTM president Camille Estephan.
Tickets for the #ButlerRolls gala are currently on sale on Ticketmaster.ca. The full card for the preliminary fights will be announced later.