LONDON, England — British contender Josh Kelly believes he can make IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev "look silly" given half a chance.

Kelly and his trainer-manager Adam Booth are attempting to land the Pretty Boy the most significant fight of his career before the end of the year.

Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn revealed he made an offer for Kelly to fight 154lb newcomer Jaron Ennis in Philadelphia in October, but Booth described the money on offer as "derisory" during an interview with The Ring this week.

Meanwhile, Kelly is ranked No. 3 by the IBF and WBO and would jump at the chance to face either of those champions, with Murtazaliev holding the former and Xander Zayas the new WBO king.

During a recent interview with Tha Boxing Voice, Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia and head of Riyadh Season, said a number of opponents have turned down facing Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 KOs), who won the belt in April 2024 against Jack Culcay and successfully defended it by stopping Tim Tszyu six months later.

But Kelly (17-1-1, 9 KOs) has made it clear that he would not turn down the chance to face the dangerous puncher — and is adamant it would be an easy night’s work for him.

“I’ll fight Murtazaliev. I’ll fight him no problem,” he told The Ring on Tuesday.

“I heard Turki Alalshikh talking on Tha Boxing Voice and he said he can’t get any opponents to fight him. He offered three opponents and everyone is scared.

“We put our name in for that fight and we haven’t heard anything back. I’m here. I’ll take Murtazaliev.

“I think I’ll make him look silly. I saw him against Jack Culcay and that was a bad night at the office for him. He’s got two arms and two legs exactly like me. I’m faster than him. He probably hits harder and is bigger than me but it’s not about that. It’s about the IQ.

“I think I’ve got everything to stand him on his head.”

Kelly may also get the chance to fight the new WBO champion Zayas given his lofty ranking with that sanctioning body. The No. 1 spot is currently vacant and Jorge Garcia Perez, who Zayas beat for the belt this month, is still at No. 2 meaning Kelly is effectively the next available contender for the belt.

When asked about Zayas, he added: “I should be fighting him next really. He was calling me out last year and at the time none of us really were anywhere.

“But now he’s got the world title, come fight me next. Let me fight you next, I’m the next in the ranking. There’s him, then there’s me. Why not get that on?”