John Evans
Highlights
Unbeaten IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev defends his title in Newcastle against Josh Kelly, who earns his first world title shot. Avoided by rivals despite big wins, Murtazaliev looks to make another statement against a skilled but dangerous underdog on the world stage at last.
3 days ago
2 min read
When Bakhram Murtazaliev stopped Jack Culcay to win the vacant IBF junior middleweight title in April 2024, the California-based Russian must have thought his days of being ignored and avoided were over.
Highlights
Unbeaten IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev defends his title in Newcastle against Josh Kelly, who earns his first world title shot. Avoided by rivals despite big wins, Murtazaliev looks to make another statement against a skilled but dangerous underdog on the world stage at last.
Highlights
Unbeaten IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev defends his title in Newcastle against Josh Kelly, who earns his first world title shot. Avoided by rivals despite big wins, Murtazaliev looks to make another statement against a skilled but dangerous underdog on the world stage at last.
When Bakhram Murtazaliev stopped Jack Culcay to win the vacant IBF junior middleweight title in April 2024, the California-based Russian must have thought his days of being ignored and avoided were over.
Things began well when six months later, he stopped former WBO titleholder Tim Tszyu three rounds into their title fight. The exciting win should have opened the door to some major fights, but despite his best efforts he's been unable to get any leading lights into the ring.
Instead, Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 KOs) travels to Newcastle, United Kingdom, to make his second title defense against Josh Kelly, and The Ring's No. 4 junior middleweight will be keen to put in the type of performance making him hard to ignore.
More than eight years since he turned professional, Kelly (17-1-1, 9 KOs), a 2016 Olympian, finally gets a world championship shot.
In 2021, he challenged the formidable David Avanesyan for the European welterweight title. He started well but faded quickly and was stopped on his feet in the sixth round.
Since then, the Sunderland-born Kelly has won seven straight without troubling world level with a December 2022 win over then-British 154-pound champion Troy Williamson the highlight.
The hard-hitting Murtazaliev, 33, represents a significant step up in class from the opposition he has been fighting, but Kelly, 31, will believe he is much more prepared to deal with the threat than when he faced Avanesyan.
Odds: Murtazaliev is a solid favorite to retain his title and is priced at 3/10 with most UK bookmakers. Kelly is seen as a live underdog, however. He is available at around 5-2.
Oddsmakers see a Murtazaliev stoppage as the most likely outcome, offering around 8/11 for him to record an inside-the-distance victory.
How does Murtazaliev win? Kelly is a skillful fighter. His fast hands and feet should bring him some early eye-catching success. Murtazaliev hasn't boxed a southpaw since blowing away Bruno Romay in 2018, and Kelly's movement, coupled with his own inactivity, may pose him some early problems.
Murtazaliev should be prepared to fall short, miss the target and get tagged by accurate counter shots. He will need to remain calm, composed and avoid over committing to his punches.
If Murtazaliev can cut off Kelly's escape routes, hit the body and stay consistent, he should begin to reap some dividends by the midway point. Once Kelly begins to slow, expect Murtazaliev to ramp up the pressure.
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