Aaron McKenna crowned world champion on Dublin homecoming

Aaron McKenna delivers on his homecoming

It was the culmination of a career-long dream for the 27-year-old from Smithborough, who turned professional almost a decade ago and spent long spells fighting in the United States before finally boxing at home.

Trained by his father Fergal alongside brother Stevie, McKenna outboxed Oliha across 12 rounds, the judges scoring it 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112, as RTÉ Sport reported.

The win makes McKenna only Ireland's fourth-ever world champion in the division, following Jack 'Nonpareil' Dempsey, Steve Collins and Andy Lee.

According to The42, a boisterous, Monaghan-heavy crowd in their thousands packed the 3Arena, many kitted out in their county colours on one of the county's biggest non-Gaelic nights since the days of Barry McGuigan.

Tricolours and Monaghan flags billowed as chants of 'Farney Army' rang around the arena.

McKenna moved through the gears after a cagey opening, doubling Oliha's punch output by the halfway mark and picking off scoring shots as the Italian faded.

It caps a patient rise for 'The Silencer', whose path to a title shot was delayed by promoter changes and the collapse of a tournament in Japan before his move to Zuffa Boxing paid off.

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