Jimmy Kelly: For Those Who Say I Don't Stand A Chance Against Munguia, I Say 'F---- 'Em'

Jimmy ‘Kilrain’ Kelly has heard just about enough of those who don’t give him any shot of beating Jaime Munguia this weekend.

The 29-year-old Brit is a longshot underdog to upend Tijuana’s Munguia (39-0, 31KOs) in their scheduled 12-round super middleweight bout at Honda Center in Anaheim California (Saturday, DAZN, 8:00 p.m. ET). More time has been spent in the buildup discussing Munguia facing better opposition in and around the middleweight division, namely WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22KOs).

For people who say I don’t belong here, who say I don’t stand a chance, I say ‘F--- ‘em,” Kelly stated during Thursday’s final pre-fight press conference. “At the end of the day, it’s me in the ring.”

Kelly (26-2, 10KOs) enters having won his last three and ten of his last eleven bouts. The lone loss in between was a twelve-round decision to Dennis Hogan on the road in Brisbane, Australia. The fight was the first outside of England for Kelly, who contests that he was done wrong by the judges.

A more substantive achievement has still come for the fringe middleweight contender. Kelly traveled to Plant City, Florida this past February, where he scored an upset ten-round, majority decision win over previously unbeaten Kanat Islam—who was once in consideration to face Munguia.

Once again faced with an against-all-odds situation, Kelly feels at home even in a region where Munguia—a former WBO junior middleweight titlist and current middleweight contender—is the overwhelming crowd favorite.

“I’ve traveled before. I went to Australia, got robbed Dennis Hogan,” insisted Kelly. “They brought me back over here, I beat Kanat Islam. I’ve got the opportunity here. I’m looking forward to it.

“[Munguia is] one of the best but I’m confident I’m gonna get the job done and get myself one of those nice Rolexes that he’s got on.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox