Josh Kelly’s Historic Victory
In an electrifying match held in Newcastle, British boxer Josh Kelly triumphed over Bakhram Murtazaliev, securing the IBF light-middleweight championship through a majority decision. Kelly showcased his signature style, moving gracefully around the ring while unleashing remarkable speed and tactical prowess, adept at determining the optimal moments to trade blows or retreat.
Match Highlights
Throughout the bout, both fighters found themselves on the canvas, with Murtazaliev hitting the floor in the fourth round and Kelly following suit in the ninth. However, Kelly would go on to slip twice more in the later stages of the contest, though these incidents were not counted as knockdowns.
The judges offered varied scores, with two favoring Kelly at 115-111 and 114-113, while the third judge declared it a 113-113 tie. Murtazaliev appeared to adapt to Kelly’s evasive tactics as the fight progressed, but the Sunderland native regained his momentum in the final moments, finishing the match on a strong note.
Celebration and Future Prospects
With this victory, Kelly proudly becomes the first world champion from Sunderland, sparking jubilant celebrations as he rushed to share the moment with his trainer, Adam Booth, even before the verdict was officially announced. Lifting the championship belt above his head, he expressed his disbelief in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, stating:
“It feels like a dream. I envisioned this. I have been mentally preparing, and when the knockdown happened in round ten, it felt surreal.”
Having now achieved eight consecutive wins, Kelly adds to the UK’s roster of male world champions, joining prominent names like heavyweight Fabio Wardley and welterweight Lewis Crocker. The boxing community eagerly anticipates what’s next for this emerging champion.
