Boxing
Josh Kelly eyeing two major American superstars despite immediate Bakhram Murtazaliev threat
Murtazaliev vs Kelly: Subscribe to watch - TONIGHT
Kelly has home backing this weekend, but he will also have to contend with demons from five years ago when he suffered his only professional defeat against another dangerous Eastern European.
Then, Kelly was dragged into deep waters by David Avanesyan after making a wonderful start but unable to maintain the pace that saw him run into an early lead. Throughout the build-up, confident members of Avanesyan’s team predicted how the fight would play out and they were proven correct with incredible accuracy.
Kelly slowed down dramatically and after being broken down by the efficient Avanesyan, Adam Booth, Kelly’s trainer, spared his fighter further punishment and produced a well-timed rescue act.
Kelly has rebounded well since that disastrous setback with seven straight wins with domestic rivals Troy Williamson and Ishmael Davis the standout victories during the Sunderland man’s road to redemption, but despite a steady rehabilitation, it is natural to explore what went wrong on Kelly’s biggest night as he prepares for another one.
“It taught me more outside the ring than inside the ring,” said Kelly during an exclusive sitdown with DAZN News.
“I was struggling with more stuff outside the ring than what I was inside the ring. I had to go away and find myself and that meant getting closer to God. It was more a learning curve about not overthinking too much and putting pressure on myself.
“I’ve said before, if I won that fight and moved on, it would've happened the next fight or the next fight after that. It would’ve blown up in my face and it might've come against a lesser opponent.
“People want to go back to that fight as it’s the only bad night of my career but since then I've fought high pressure fighters. Look at Troy Williamson and what he’s done now. I’m fit and healthy, and my mind is just on point.”
Promises of being at their best is a common theme amongst boxers and the proof is always revealed when the bell finally sounds to start the action.
If Kelly is in a different place and he has taken the Avanesyan loss in his stride to use it as a platform for improvement, then the evidence will be clear against Murtazaliev as only the best version of Kelly will be good enough.
The unbeaten fighter has run through the vast majority of his opponents with his defining moment coming in 2024 when he destroyed the highly rated Tim Tszyu in three one-sided rounds. That performance made people take notice of Murtazaliev and he will be targeting the same marquee fights as Kelly with Jaron Ennis and Vergil Ortiz possible for the victor later in 2026.
The American rivals have long been in talks to arrange a mega fight for this year, but an agreement has still not been reached. If a deal can be made the winner on Saturday could ideally be next in line, and that is the type of fight that is exciting Kelly ahead of his clash with Murtazaliev.
“It feels like I've always been destined to be there with those fighters,” added Kelly. “It just feels right. “I’ve always been touted. I’ve always been seen. But now, even in myself. I used to be at big boxing shows saying, ‘this is where I need to be’ and ‘this is where I belong.’ This is where I come alive under the lights and with the crowd.
“It’s fell perfect for me.”
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