Monaghan’s Aaron McKenna will fight for the vacant IBF world middleweight title against Italy’s Etinosa Oliha in the main event of a big night for Irish boxing on Saturday at the 3Arena, Dublin.McKenna (20-0) and Oliha (22-0) are both looking to pick up their first world title. Both have a lot to prove despite their status as unbeaten contenders.This is the first fight on home soil for McKenna, nicknamed The Silencer. He has not been in the ring since his victory over former world champion Liam Smith in London last April.That was the toughest test of McKenna’s career on paper, but he passed it with ease. However, while he has shown lots of ability mixed with undoubted potential, he has not been greatly tested on the road to this title shot.On Saturday, he will be facing an unknown quantity in Oliha, who has even more to prove than McKenna. The Italian has only fought in Italy and Germany before and his record is pretty thin on quality opponents, but he did hold the IBO world championship previously, which is considered a stepping stone to the major world titles.McKenna is a big favourite to be crowned world champion. If he lives up to the potential he has shown previously, then Ireland could have a dominant champion as there are currently a limited number of top-quality middleweights.On the undercard, Cork middleweight Callum Walsh will look to prove that he belongs in that small group when he takes on former European champion Tyler Denny.Finishing 11 of his fights inside the distance, Walsh (16-0) won by knockout the last time he fought at the 3Arena in 2024. He has been on a good run of form since then. He defeated Fernando Vargas jnr by a wide decision in a bout televised on Netflix last September. Vargas jnr had been unbeaten up to that fight, so it goes down as the biggest win of Walsh’s career so far.Denny (21-4-3) lost last time out in a British and Commonwealth title fight. He has generally fallen just short at the highest level, making him a good yardstick to measure Walsh’s ability.The last fighter to face Denny with a 16-0 record was highly-rated British talent Felix Cash. Denny got the better of him on the cards, so an impressive Walsh win is far from a foregone conclusion.Joe Ward returns to the ring for the first time in nearly two years when he fights Artjom Kasparian at the 3Arena in Dublin on Saturday. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho Perhaps the most recognisable name on the card is former World Amateur Championships medallist and Olympian Joe Ward. The light-heavyweight from Westmeath has experienced ups and downs as a pro, but he faces the biggest fight of his career on Saturday night after a 22-month gap since his last bout.Ward (12-1) lost his debut fight as a pro after suffering a freak knee injury. He has also been the victim of bad luck on a number of occasions, with event cancellations stalling his career. He faces the unbeaten Artjom Kasparian, who has picked up 12 knockouts in his 14 wins. At 32, Ward needs to win if he wants to mirror his amateur accomplishments in the paid ranks.Derry’s Connor Coyle is another getting his career back on track after an absence from the ring. He was suspended after a positive drugs test following his fight with American middleweight contender Vito Mielnicki in February last year.Coyle (22-0) had been in line to fight for a world title prior to the finding, which he strongly disputes. He eventually served a reduced nine-month suspension, saying he accepted the outcome “to avoid a drawn-out, costly fight”.Stevie McKenna (16-1), brother of Aaron, also continues his comeback trail against Belfast’s Owen O’Neill (14-2), his second fight since he suffered an upset loss to England’s Lee Cutler in December 2024.The card is the first in Ireland for the new promotional company, Zuffa Boxing, and will be attended by its promoter Dana White, the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and vocal ally of Donald Trump.Zuffa Boxing is jointly owned by Sela, an entertainment and hospitality company owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and TKO Group Holdings, who are the parent company of the UFC and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).It is only the 11th event that the organisation has promoted, although White has previously helped to promote Callum Walsh, with the Cork man’s early fights being broadcast on the UFC’s Fight Pass streaming service.It will be the third boxing show held in the 3Arena this year, with Katie Taylor’s final fight at Croke Park coming up next month, marking a huge rise for professional boxing in Ireland this year.