BoxRec

Troy Williamson welcomes chance at Osleys Iglesias, vacant IBF title

The queue to face dangerous Cuban southpaw super middleweight contender Osleys Iglesias for the vacant IBF title is short.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is injured. Jaime Munguia wants to go in another direction.

Step up Troy Williamson, who is enjoying a Cinderella spell in his nine-year career and who has welcomed the opportunity to face Iglesias for the IBF belt.

Although Williamson, of Newcastle, England, lost his first fight of 2025, he rebounded in the most spectacular way with underdog victories over Mark Dickinson and Callum Simpson, both via stoppage.

The Simpson win, in December, saw the popular fighter from Barnsley, England, bludgeoned to the canvas four times in the 10th and decisive round as Williamson improved to 22-4-1 (16 KOs) while acknowledging he is a different fighter since allowing himself to move up two weight classes to 168lbs.

No longer burdened by a brutal weight cut, Williamson has come into his own, and he also welcomes a bout with Iglesias.

“I’ve just seen that he was offered Canelo and Munguia – they haven’t happened for whatever reason,” Williamson told BS. “I know that Canelo is injured and Munguia is going a different route, but then it was going to the next in the queue, which would have been Hamzah Sheeraz. But I think he’s fighting [Diego] Pacheco, so next in line would be myself.

“That fight could happen next, I believe. I don’t know much about him. I’ve not really seen much of him, but he’s obviously a very good fighter, and it’s one I’m looking forward to if it happens.”

But it is not going to be just down to the IBF to decide whether Williamson and Iglesias can contest the belt left vacant by Terence Crawford.

Simpson was one of Boxxer’s flagship fighters, and the promoter might try to get Williamson back in with its man.

“We’re just waiting to see what’s going to happen with the rematch clause with Callum Simpson,” said Williamson.

The EBU had set purse bids today (January 8) as deadline for Troy Williamson to defend his European super middleweight championship, won via upset victory over Callum Simpson, against Spain’s Jose Luis Navarro.

So Troy has ben ordered to defence the EBU belt..

At the same time, I did check yesterday and he was next in the list for Iglesias for the vacant IBF belt.

He's ranked #6 or #8, I can't recall.

Gonna be worth more money and it's a world title opportunity.

Unbelievable how fortunes can turn around with some good solid wins.

Good luck to the fella.

Very true. I thought that would a safe defence for Simpson. Williamson completely ripped up the script and seems to be on the cusp of earning some good paydays

A couple of solid wins at SMW has put Williamson in the catbird seat. Seemingly the worst that comes out of it is a winnable fight against Navarro in defense of the EBU title, while he could end up with a shot at the IBF belt. He appears to have settled in at the heavier weight and shoved aside a string of four losses in five fights at SWW and MW.

I don't know the man, but everything I have read about Williamson paints him as a decent guy who is dedicated to his craft and worked to overcome the setbacks he's encountered. It's hard not to feel good about the success he's achieved.

Current Ranking.

Troy isn’t from Newcastle he’s Darlington near me.

LOL

Iglesias is my pick for future number one in the division but I'm picking Williamson to knock him out just for the hell of it.

Taansend wrote: ↑11 Jan 2026, 02:42 Iglesias is my pick for future number one in the division but I'm picking Williamson to knock him out just for the hell of it.

I applaud your WTF sentiment! I, too, think Iglesias will eventually rise to the top of the division, but then I thought Simpson would have no trouble with Williamson. Just goes to show that all my careful consideration and over-thinking don't amount to much once the boxers get in the ring.

Troy Williamson awaits IBF title fight vs. Iglesias, if Simpson rematch not next

Six months ago, Troy Williamson was looking for a way back to relevance. Now, he finds himself in the mix for a shot at the IBF super middleweight title.

Williamson (22-4-1, 16 KOs) stopped Callum Simpson on December 20 to become the British, Commonwealth and European 168-pound champion. The dramatic victory also earned him the No. 6 position in the IBF rankings.

Earlier this week, The Ring reported that just days after Canelo Alvarez turned down the chance to take on Osleys Iglesias for the title that Terence Crawford recently vacated, Jaime Munguia also rejected the opportunity to fight the unbeaten Cuban.

The search for somebody willing to face The Ring’s No. 2-ranked contender, Iglesias, will continue. Hamzah Sheeraz sits at No. 5 in the IBF rankings, but the undefeated Brit appears to have other plans.

Williamson is next in line and is waiting for the call.

“That’s what I’ve seen,” Williamson told The Ring. “I think [Sheeraz] is going down the WBO route to fight Diego Pacheco. I’m next in line, so I can’t see why the phone won’t ring.

“I know there’s a rematch clause with Simpson, so I don’t know how that'll play out. But hopefully within the next couple of days we have some sort of news.”

As far as Williamson is aware, Simpson’s team hasn’t activated the rematch clause. If he is going to have to get back in the ring with the Barnsley man, he would like to do so sooner rather than later.

Plans had been penciled in for the popular Simpson (18-1, 13 KOs) to return to Oakwell Stadium for what has become his traditional summer open-air homecoming show.

Williamson is more than happy to fulfil the contractual obligation, but he doesn’t want to be confined to the sidelines whilst opportunities pass him by.

“Yeah, I can’t sit out for six or seven months, definitely not,” he said. “Obviously I’ve got a family I need to take care of, so if the Callum rematch does get activated, I’d like that in March. I think it has to happen within the first week of April, but whether that gives him enough time, I’m not sure. If he wants it in June, then I’m happy to go the IBF route, obviously win that and come and have my first defence against Callum.”

In April 2025, Williamson found himself in no man’s land after suffering a third consecutive defeat at the hands of Jahi Tucker at middleweight. Stepping up to 168 pounds breathed new life into the 34-year-old Darlington native’s career.

He got back on track with a stunning knockout of the highly rated Mark Dickinson. Although he entered the fight with Simpson as a sizeable underdog, he did so with total belief that he would get the job done.

The outstanding win has given him options.

Williamson finds himself a phone call away from a potential world title fight. If he does have to wait for Simpson, he will enter a high-profile rematch confident of scoring another stoppage victory and boosting his world ranking further.

“I think it’ll be more conclusive this time,” he said. “I think it’ll go a lot earlier and now I’ve been in there with him and I know what to expect, I don’t think that he can change much in these short months. I’m excited for what the future holds. I’ve got a bright 2026.

“I think it’s the first time in my full career I’ve been in this position where I’ve had options. And one thing I’ve never really had is a plan on what direction I want to go down, so it’ll be nice to have that as well.”

Troy Williamson contacted for IBF title fight vs. Osleys Iglesias; Pavel Silyagin on deck

Troy Williamson is officially on the clock.

BoxingS cene has confirmed that IBF officials have contacted the British contender to confirm his availability to face Osleys Iglesias for its vacant super middleweight belt. Both parties were contacted on Monday, with a three-day window to either agree to enter negotiations or inform if they are unavailable to take the fight.

Eye of the Tiger Management – which represents Iglesias, 14-0 (13 KOs) has already confirmed the Cuban knockout artist’s intention to proceed with the fight. The response has been the same for every round – immediately saying yes, regardless of the opponent.

England’s Williamson, 22-4-1 (16 KOs), entered the conversation after countryman Hamzah Sheeraz, 22-0-1 (18 KOs), declined to move forward with the process, IBF officials confirmed to BS. Sheeraz is already involved in separate negotiations with Christian Mbilli, 29-0-1 (24 KOs), and Diego Pacheco, 25-0 (18 KOs), for the vacant WBC and WBO titles, respectively.

Representatives for Williamson – and the boxer himself – have all publicly expressed interest in the opportunity. It comes one month after the biggest win of his hard-luck career, a 10th-round TKO of unbeaten Callum Simpson on December 20 in Leeds, England.

Simpson was the IBF’s No. 5 contender at the time but dropped down to No. 13 after the upset defeat. Williamson was previously unranked and is now No. 6. Sheeraz was bumped up one spot to No. 5 in the sanctioning body’s most recent ratings update.

While there is clear willingness on Williamson’s side, whether he can actually proceed with the opportunity is another matter.

Boxing Scene has learned that the Williamson-Simpson fight carried an immediate rematch clause. While the IBF does not recognize such stipulations, it could legally prevent Williamson from entering any other fight.

Should that be the case, BS’s weeks-long prediction of Pavel Silyagin, 16-0-1 (7 KOs), landing the fight will come closer to fruition. The unbeaten Russian is ranked one spot below Williamson at No. 7, is presently without plans and is already on record as ready to challenge for his first major title.

That said, Silyagin’s turn cannot come until Williamson confirms his next move, one way or another, to the IBF.

To date, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, Jaime Munguia and now Sheeraz have all declined to move forward with the fight with Iglesias.

Alvarez, 63-3-2 (39 KOs), the former undisputed super middleweight champion, is recovering from surgery performed last October and not available until the spring at the earliest.

Similar to Sheeraz having other options, Munguia, 45-2 (35 KOs), is also in pursuit of a separate 168lbs title. As previously reported by BS, the Tijuana native is currently in talks to next face recently upgraded WBA titlist Jose Armando Resendiz, 16-2 (11 KOs).

Iglesias – a Cuban southpaw based in Berlin – has been the mandatory challenger since an eighth-round knockout of former title challenger Vladimir Shishkin. The bout took place September 4 in Montreal – nine days before Alvarez was dethroned by Terence Crawford via unanimous decision in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Crawford, 42-0 (31 KOs), retired from the sport in December, thus relinquishing all of the titles in the process.

iglesias would absolutely brutalize him, if i were troys team would only take that if it paid way more than the euro defense. of course theres the rematch clause with simpson too..

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑13 Jan 2026, 04:22 iglesias would absolutely brutalize him, if i were troys team would only take that if it paid way more than the euro defense. of course theres the rematch clause with simpson too..

I agree,

He's not winning it, but it's a great opportunity, but only if the money's right.

Might be his only world title opportunity.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑13 Jan 2026, 04:29

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑13 Jan 2026, 04:22 iglesias would absolutely brutalize him, if i were troys team would only take that if it paid way more than the euro defense. of course theres the rematch clause with simpson too..

I agree,

He's not winning it, but it's a great opportunity, but only if the money's right.

Might be his only world title opportunity.

I tend to agree that Williamson's chances of beating Iglesias are slim, but maybe he can catch lightning in a bottle once again. Hey, I didn't give him much chance to beat Simpson, so who knows.

It is a world title opportunity and the vast majority of boxers out there never get the chance to fight for one. Still, the money needs to offset the risk to make it worthwhile for him.

On the bright side, Williamson has options. On top of the possibility to fight for the IBF belt, there is the potential rematch with Simpson, not to mention a winnable proposed EBU title fight against Navarro.

A year ago I doubt anyone thought Williamson would be in this kind of position, so it's refreshing to see a fighter rewarded for his diligence, hard work, and self-belief.

Troy Williamson and Callum Simpson will fight again in May

Troy Williamson and Callum Simpson are set to run back their first encounter for the British and European super middleweight titles.

The pair fought back in December, with Williamson stopping Simpson in brutal fashion after having his man down multiple times. Williamson, a former British title holder at 154lbs, was not fancied by many, but tore up the script to dethrone Simpson in front of his huge Yorkshire fan base. There was a rematch clause in place before the contest, but there were doubts as to whether Simpson and his promoter Ben Shalom would fancy it after the sustained beating Simpson took.

Williamson has also been contacted by the IBF for a shot at their vacant super middleweight title against Osleys Iglesias - a fight Williamson was interested in - but it looks like he will now have to turn it down.

“We have [activated the rematch clause] and that will happen in May,” Shalom confirmed to Boxing Scene and other reporters. “Callum gave Troy a voluntary shot; we gave him an opportunity of a lifetime. It’s a shame he had no representative there that night. I was glad for Troy Williamson, I genuinely was. I love it when fighters have had a really tough time and have to come through in all different ways; it was an unbelievable story.

“It’s not a jail sentence [the rematch]. He gets a massive, massive fight against a fighter he will believe he’ll beat again. It’s a huge rematch. Callum’s career is on the line, he knows that. He has made a few changes and he’ll announce them soon. It’s a huge fight for both of them and I’m looking forward to that, [it will be] probably back in Yorkshire.”

unfortunately, contractual clauses > mandatories