Aaron McKenna Contemplating Super-Middleweight Move With Lack Of Fights At 160-Pounds

Aaron McKenna is contemplating a move up to super-middleweight due to a lack of opportunities at middleweight.

McKenna put in a career-best performance last time out against former world champion Liam Smith, but has struggled to land a big fight since.

Aaron McKenna Contemplating Super-Middleweight Switch

After a career-best performance in April beating former world champion Liam Smith, Aaron McKenna has struggled to land a big fight since.

The Irishman defeated Smith via unanimous decision back in April on the Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn undercard at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, widely outpointing the Englishman with relative ease.

However, it has been a frustrating period since then for the 26-year-old, who now hasn’t fought in eight months.

After securing the biggest win of his career, you would have assumed McKenna’s phone would be ringing non-stop for big fights and potential showdowns in the middleweight division. Unfortunately for ‘The Silencer’, this most definitely hasn’t been the case.

UP 1 FOR MCKENNA

Aaron McKenna rises 1 to 6th in the latest IBF World Middleweight rankings

With the IBF World champion at his weight caught doping, McKenna could end up fighting for World title sooner than he expects pic.twitter.com/SkGMenYe3o

— Boxing Tickets NI (@BoxingTicketsNI) December 5, 2025

For that reason, McKenna is contemplating a move up in weight to super-middleweight in 2026. The Monaghan man has campaigned at 160-pounds his entire professional career, but is now considering a move up to 168-pounds in the hope of landing some colossal fights.

McKenna is currently ranked seventh by The Ring Magazine at middleweight, but is open to fighting in multiple weight classes in order to land the biggest fights possible.

“Watching [Terence] Crawford move up in weight to challenge himself was inspiring. Turki [Alalshikh] is challenging fighters to move around in weight and pursue the biggest fights,” McKenna told Sky Sports.

“I want to follow Turki’s model and chase greatness by fighting anyone between 160-pounds and 168-pounds.”

Fellow Irish fighter Pierce O’Leary is eyeing a Dublin homecoming in March, with some potentially huge fights coming up for a host of different Irish boxers including McKenna.

The only belt that’s not held to ransom by these bandits, is the @ringmagazine belt. Its prestige won’t allow it. Time for a new force to take over the Middleweight division and earn that honour 👊🏻@turki pic.twitter.com/hfXJ3mWdNK

— Aaron McKenna (@Aaronmckenna99) September 25, 2025

Who Will Aaron McKenna Fight Next?

With no date booked for Aaron McKenna’s next fight, the Monaghan-born boxer remains open to fighting at both middleweight and super-middleweight going forward.

The 20-0 orthodox fighter is desperate to land a big fight in the first quarter of the New Year, as he looks to build towards winning a world title in 2026.

In order to challenge for a world title, McKenna will need to get himself into a position whereby he simply cannot be avoided any longer.

This is something the ‘Silencer’ is open to, with several big British names on his mind as we approach the New Year.

McKenna has his sights firmly set on fighters such as Hamzah Sheeraz, who looks set to face Christian Mbilli for the vacant WBC belt at super-middleweight.

Aaron McKenna has called for a clash against Hamzah Sheeraz as the unbeaten Irish contender aims to topple Britain's 'biggest fighters' 🇮🇪 👀 pic.twitter.com/l3XbhIDjUp

— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) November 19, 2025

The Irishman will be hoping to land a fight with Sheeraz should he come through Mbilli, which would make for a truly huge fight at some stage in 2026.

“Sheeraz is a good boxer and solid puncher. That’s what makes it an exciting challenge, but I’ll walk away with my hand raised,” the 26-year-old told Sky Sports.

“I beat Liam Smith and I know I will do exactly the same to Sheeraz. Ring no.7 vs Ring no.8, two undefeated fighters, Ireland vs UK. What’s better than that? I will earn my shot at a world title in 2026.”

‘Silencer’ wants to emulate Irish boxing legend Steve Collins in winning world titles in multiple divisions, taking on Britain’s best in the process.

“My goal is to run through the biggest British fighters the way Steve Collins did and I’ll do it for Ireland,” McKenna concluded.