NEWCASTLE, England – Josh Kelly defeated Bakhram Murtazaliev by the finest of margins to claim the IBF junior middleweight title at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena.
There were question marks over whether Sunderland’s Kelly would have the stamina and heart to beat one of the most avoided fighters in the division. Many pointed to Kelly’s sole defeat in the build up, a stoppage loss to David Avaneseyan in 2021, as a mirror of how the fight may play out, and it was similar in some ways.
Kelly started fast and had success early on with his flashy footwork and fast hands, even dropping the champion in the fourth round. But as the sessions went by, the Russian started to get closer and closer, and eventually Kelly found himself in a similar position to the one he found himself in against Avaneseyan.
Kelly was dropped in the ninth and hurt badly, but unlike against Aveneseyan he did not crumble, gritted his teeth, and pushed back. Murtazaliev continued to come on strong late, but Kelly pushed back to edge the fight and the title from the champion by scores of 113-113, 115-111 and 114-113.
Kelly, now 18-1-1 (9 KOs), started by circling the ring, allowing his tall Russian opponent to come forward. Both men’s timing was a little off, but in the second they started to find their range. Kelly was first to land a shot that brought a cheer from his home crowd, but Murtazaliev quickly returned fire with a right hand. Kelly, 31, was having the better of it, the Russian just couldn’t tie down Kelly as he bounced round the ring with his hands low. Early in the fourth it looked as though Murtazaliev, 33, may be starting to find the target when a sharp left hand landed, but as the Russian came into land again, Kelly fired in a sharp jab that sent Murtazaliev tumbling to the floor. Kelly had said earlier in the week that he had envisioned Murtazaliev on the floor, and he had done exactly that, but his foe quickly climbed to his feet.
Kelly was enjoying himself, sending his razor sharp jab into Murtazaliev’s face, and the champion seemed to be running out of ideas. Kelly was banking the rounds, and as the fifth came to a close Murtazaliev’s right eye was starting to swell. The Russian upped the tempo in the sixth, grabbing Kelly when the fleet-footed Brit attempted to pivot away from harm. But still Kelly would bounce away, smiling away as he jabbed Murtazaliev in the face. Things were going well and Kelly was dancing ahead of the eighth, but things started to turn sour.
Early in the ninth, Kelly found himself on the floor and hurt badly. A short left hook on the inside sent Kelly stumbling down. Kelly climbed up, but his quick feet were no longer there, and Murtazaliev moved in for the finish. Kelly grabbed hold in an attempt to ride the storm, but the Russian shrugged him off and landed a hard right that again rocked Kelly. It looked as though the tide had turned, but Kelly bit down on his mouthpiece and survived the round. The next three rounds were crucial, Kelly was up, but Murtazaliev was coming on strong. The Russian again had a good 10th, bullying Kelly, whose feet were still not quite beneath him, around the ring.
Kelly’s lead was now looking slim, but just in time his feet were back, and the Brit snapped Murtazaliev’s head back with a jab before circling away from harm. Kelly was waving Murtazaliev on before countering, and it seemed as though Kelly might just do it. The 12th began and Murtazaliev instantly hurt Kelly with a right hand. If Kelly was going to win the title he was going to have to go through more rough moments in the final round to get it. Murtazaliev pressed forwards, again nailing Kelly with a right hand as the Brit tried to hold on. Kelly then spun Murtazaliev and unloaded four powerful hooks that bounced off the Russian’s head. The bell sounded and the pair nervously awaited the decision only for the venue to erupt as the words “And the new” were announced. Kelly now becomes a big player in a booming 154lb division. The long avoided Murtazaliev falls to 23-1 (17 KOs).
