IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Muratazaliev and contender Josh Kelly have exchanged barbs on social media ahead of their proposed fight.
The feared Murtazaliev is 23-0 (17 KOs) and has not boxed since his October defeat of Tim Tszyu in Florida last year.
The California-based Russian tagged Kelly on X saying: “Have you changed your mind yet?”
The Olympian from Sunderland, England, who boxed at the 2016 Rio Games, replied: “Still deciding on whether to box your head off or…. Box your head off, couple of hard choices there.”
Murtazaliev replied: “The main thing is, don’t do anything to yourself before our fight.”
Kelly is ranked No. 3 with the IBF, with that sanctioning body’s No. 1 Erickson Lubin set for a November bout against Vergil Ortiz.
Kelly is No. 1 with the WBO, whose champion is Xander Zayas.
