Josh Kelly tamed big puncher Bakhram Murtazaliev with his smart boxing to win the IBF world junior middleweight title by a majority points decision on Saturday.
The English boxer lifted his first world title belt by pulling off the shock result to the delight of his home crowd in Newcastle by scores of 115-111, 114-113 and 113-113.
Kelly forced a count in round four when he caught Murtazaliev with a hard jab on the counter, and was then sent to the canvas himself by a left hook in round nine.
But Kelly deserved the win, after his clever movement and quick punches limited Murtazaliev from landing big shots.
“If it wasn’t for the energy of the crowd I wouldn’t have got up,” Kelly told DAZN after.
“I was calm, cool and collected apart from the ninth round. Anyone in a big fight next.”
Kelly (18-1-1, 9 KOs) told ESPN he was “not bothered” by boxing big hitters like Murtazaliev and he backed up those brave words by delivering a career-best display which saw his handspeed, skill and discipline frustrate the champion. Kelly attacked in short, sharp bursts and then got out of range to deny Murtazaliev any opportunities to respond.
After beating one of the dangermen at 154 pounds, Kelly is now in contention to face the winner of the clash between WBO champion Xander Zayas (22-0, 13 KOs) and WBA titleholder Abass Baraou (17-1, 9 KOs) who were due to fight later in Puerto Rico on Jan. 31.
Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, of Philadelphia, the former world welterweight champion who is regarded as No. 1 at 154 pounds, is another option for Kelly in a first title defence if a fight vs. Vergil Ortiz Jr is not made.
Murtazaliev (23-1, 17 KOs) lost the belt in a second title defence after the Russian failed to consistently land clean punches due to Kelly’s slick footwork and sharp jab.
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Kelly, 31, from Sunderland, entered the ring on the back of a seven-fight winning run, since he was stopped by David Avanesyan at welterweight in 2021.
Murtazaliev, 33, from Chechnya but based in Glendale, California, had not boxed for 15 months since he dropped Tim Tszyu four times in a three-round destruction and that layoff may have contributed to him struggling to land more punches.
Kelly, who is trained by Adam Booth in London, also only had two minutes of action in 2025 but he quickly appreciated the threat in front of him when Murtazaliev landed a right hand late in the first. Kelly’s hand speed made it difficult for Murtazaliev late in round two as he threaded his jabs through the Russian’s guard.
Kelly continued to have success in the third as he landed quick combinations before retreating out of range.
Kelly then stunned Murtazaliev on the counter by landing a jab that forced the unbalanced Russian to briefly touchdown and receive a count in round four. Murtazaliev shook his head and recovered quickly, but the speed of the punch uprooted him and left Kelly ahead.
Murtazaliev stalked Kelly around the ring in round five but he was caught again on the counter just before the bell by a right hand. Kelly seemed ahead at the halfway point and expertly slipped Murtazaliev’s punches in round seven.
Kelly troubled Murtazaliev in the eighth when he landed a combination to the body and head, with the challenger seemingly in control.
But Murtazaliev finally got through with some clean punches in round nine when he dropped Kelly to his knees with a left hook to the top of the head. After the count, Kelly was caught again by a right on the ropes but avoided another crisis.
Both had their moments in lively round 11 and Murtazaliev landed a big overhand right at the start of the last round as he hunted the KO. Kelly unloaded a flurry of blows when Murtazaliev found himself trapped in a corner and the challenger finished the fight celebrating before the scores were announced.
On the undercard, IBF women’s lightweight champion Elif Nur Turhan experienced a closer fight than her recent ones when she was held to a split points decision vs. Taylah Gentzen (8-2, 3 KOs). The Turkish boxer won by scores of 98-92, 96-94 to 93-97 after landing more power punches than Gentzen.
Turhan (13-0, 8 KOs) had stopped her previous four opponents, including Beatriz Ferreira in her previous fight only two months ago.
Josh Padley raced to a second-round stoppage win over Jaouad Belmehdi to win the vacant European junior lightweight title.
Padley (18-1, 6 KOs), who Shakur Stevenson stopped in round nine of a WBC world lightweight title defence a year ago, floored Belmehdi with a left hook in the second and then sustained the pressure to force the stoppage.
