Decorated Irish Amateur Standout Dylan Eagleson
Signs Long-Term Promotional Deal With Zuffa Boxing!
(June 8th) Zuffa Boxing has announced the signing of highly regarded Irish featherweight prospect Dylan Eagleson to a long-term promotional agreement, adding one of Europe's most accomplished young amateur boxers to its rapidly growing international roster.
The 23-year-old southpaw from Bangor, Northern Ireland, will make his professional debut in a six-round featherweight contest on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at Dublin's iconic 3Arena. The event marks Zuffa Boxing's first-ever promotion in Ireland and its second event staged outside the United States.
Eagleson's debut will take place on a major card headlined by Aaron McKenna's defense of the Zuffa Boxing Middleweight Championship against Etinosa Oliha, while fellow Irish star Callum Walsh faces former British champion Tyler Denny in the co-featured bout.
Born on April 22, 2003, Dylan James Eagleson enters the professional ranks following a distinguished amateur career that established him as one of Ireland's premier boxing talents. Fighting primarily at bantamweight, the 5-foot-5 southpaw amassed an impressive collection of national and international honors over more than a decade in the amateur code.
His crowning achievement came at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where he captured the gold medal for Northern Ireland in the bantamweight division. Later that year, representing Ireland at the European Championships in Yerevan, Eagleson earned a silver medal in his first senior international tournament, announcing himself among the continent's elite amateur boxers.
Eagleson's amateur résumé also includes gold medals at the 2023 Irish National Championships, the 2022 Irish U22 Championships, the 2020 Irish Under-18 Championships, and consecutive Irish Senior Cadet Championship titles in 2018 and 2019.
Training out of North Down Boxing Club in Bangor under respected coach Bogdan Tudoran, Eagleson developed a reputation for his technical skill, ring intelligence, elite footwork, and polished southpaw style. During his amateur career, he also spent time training out of St Paul's Boxing Club in Belfast as he progressed through Ireland's national system.
"I'm buzzing to have signed with Zuffa, the biggest promotion in the game," said Eagleson. "I accomplished a lot as an amateur and believe Zuffa will give me the tools necessary to become a champion. It means a lot to have the backing of Dana White and Sky Sports as I begin this journey."
The signing represents another significant addition to Zuffa Boxing's expanding international talent pool as the promotion continues its global growth strategy. Eagleson joins a roster that includes fellow Irish standouts Callum Walsh and Aaron McKenna, further strengthening the company's presence in one of boxing's most successful talent-producing regions.
Zuffa Boxing's August 8 event at Dublin's 3Arena will be broadcast live and exclusively on Sky Sports throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, with streaming coverage available on Paramount+.
Zuffa Boxing 10
Date: August 8, 2026
Venue: 3Arena, Dublin, Ireland
Featured Bouts
• Aaron McKenna vs. Etinosa Oliha – Zuffa
Boxing Middleweight Championship (12 rounds)
• Callum Walsh vs. Tyler Denny – Middleweight Co-Feature (10 rounds)
• Dylan Eagleson vs. Opponent TBA – Professional Debut (6 rounds, Featherweight)
With an elite amateur pedigree, international championship experience, and the backing of one of boxing's fastest-growing promotional companies, Eagleson now begins the next chapter of his career with aspirations of becoming Ireland's newest world-title contender.
Zuffa Boxing arrives at Dublin’s 3Arena on Saturday, August 8, with a blockbuster summer card headlined by two of Ireland’s unbeaten middleweight standouts. Rising star Aaron McKenna will finally make his long-awaited professional debut on home soil, while fan favorite “King” Callum Walsh, the hard-hitting southpaw from nearby Cork, returns before a passionate Irish crowd in what promises to be a memorable night of world-class boxing.
Undefeated middleweights Aaron McKenna and Etinosa Oliha will battle for the vacant IBF middleweight championship in the main event of Zuffa Boxing 10, set for August 8 at Dublin’s 3Arena. The 12-round title clash headlines Zuffa Boxing’s inaugural event in Ireland and marks the promotion’s second card featuring a major championship bout.
McKenna (20-0, 10 KOs), a 26-year-old native of Ireland, enters the biggest fight of his career following an impressive unanimous decision victory over former world champion Liam Smith on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn in April. The contest will also represent McKenna’s long-awaited first professional appearance on Irish soil.
Standing across the ring will be Italy’s unbeaten Oliha (22-0, 10 KOs), who earned his most recent victory with a third-round technical knockout of Ivan Njegac last September. The 27-year-old has steadily climbed the rankings and now gets his opportunity to capture world championship gold.
The vacant IBF title championship became available earlier this year after Janibek Alimkhanuly was stripped of the belt, creating an opportunity for two of the division’s rising contenders to compete for the prestigious crown.
The co-main event will feature another highly anticipated middleweight showdown as undefeated Irish star “King” Callum Walsh (16-0, 11 KOs) faces former European champion Tyler Denny (21-4-3, 1 KO) in a scheduled 10-round contest. Walsh, the popular Cork southpaw, is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Carlos Ocampo at Zuffa Boxing 1 in January, while Britain’s Denny looks to rebound following a points loss to George Liddard in March.
Zuffa Boxing previously staged its first championship bout in March when Australia’s Jai Opetaia defeated Brandon Glanton by unanimous decision to retain his Ring Magazine cruiserweight championship and capture the inaugural Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight title. Now, with a vacant IBF world title on the line, the promotion takes another significant step forward as it brings a historic championship event to Ireland.
Additional bouts and ticket information for Zuffa Boxing 10 are expected to be announced soon.
Zuffa Boxing Registration
With Zuffa Boxing bringing its tenth numbered event to Dublin, Irish boxing supporters can expect an electric atmosphere and a card that showcases some of the nation's top talent as the promotion makes its long-awaited debut in Ireland.
Zuffa Boxing, the joint venture between Dana White, TKO Group and Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, is making major waves in the professional boxing industry yet again.
Officially launched in January 2026, the new promotion seeks to introduce a centralized, UFC-style league model featuring a single world title and unified internal rankings. Their partnership with Turki Alalshikh, along with a distribution deal with Paramount+, is shifting the sport’s power dynamic.
The company is headquartered in Las Vegas and aspires to revolutionize the boxing landscape by applying a centralized, promoter-driven model similar to the UFC’s approach, including single belts and unified matchmaking for major titles. White first floated the Zuffa Boxing idea following the 2017 Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather crossover event, citing the need to modernize and streamline boxing promotions, but it wasn’t until June 2025 that the brand was officially launched through high-profile partnerships and funding from Saudi Arabia.
The inaugural Zuffa Boxing event is the blockbuster September 13, 2025, Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford super-fight, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, and streaming globally on Netflix—marking a first for a major boxing match of this scale. The promotion is expected to stage 12 events annually for five years, totaling 60 shows, with four of these billed as “mega-fights” similar to the Canelo-Crawford clash.
Zuffa Boxing's first numbered event was Zuffa Boxing 01, held on January 23, 2026, at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The inaugural show was headlined by Irish middleweight prospect Callum Walsh against Carlos Ocampo, with Walsh winning by unanimous decision.
Media rights negotiations are ongoing, with Paramount Plus as the leading contender for a broadcast deal in the U.S., while select events may continue behind pay-per-view, but the majority could stream widely and even air on CBS. Zuffa Boxing has already organized a prospect-filled card before its first main event, showcasing its commitment to developing new talent alongside marquee matchups.
Through its social media presence and engagement, Zuffa Boxing has signaled a fully modern approach to promotion, with global streaming, high-profile partnerships, and a strong connection to UFC infrastructure and talent. This new venture represents one of the most ambitious attempts yet to reshape professional boxing, bringing together some of combat sports’ biggest players and promising regular major events, innovative matchmaking, and a unified promotional vision.
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