Josh Kelly is thrilled to have a world-class operator in the opposite corner at the Principality Stadium on Saturday night.
The Sunderland star will challenge for the WBA international championship against rugged Mexican, Carlos Molina on the undercard of the Anthony Joshua’s world heavyweight unification rumble with Joseph Parker.
It’s some fight between the new welterweight kid on the block and a well-travelled former Chicago-based fighter who is a former holder of the world light-middleweight crown.
But Kelly revealed there was almost a domestic dust-up in Cardiff, with Tamuka Mucha and Frankie Gavin both mooted opponents.
Mucha had called for a fight after ‘Pretty Boy’ had stopped Jean Michel Hamilcaro in London before Christmas. The Reading boxer had 15 wins in a row at the time, though he has since lost his unbeaten record.
“We had Tamuka Mucha lined up for the fight,” said Kelly.
“I’m sure the contract was signed but he’s then gone and pulled out.
“All that talk and all the shouting he was doing and he’s gone and backed out.
“I don’t understand boxers who shout and shout but then won’t get down to it.
“I won’t do it, Adam and Eddie will tell me who I’m fighting and I’ll fight them. I just keep my mouth shut.”
Gavin turned down overtures to
meet Kelly, but the former IBF title challenger said in an interview with Boxing News he is open to future offers.
“Things went back and forth with Frankie and then he said he needed more time to train for it,” said Kelly, who underwent a public work-out with trainer Adam Booth in Cardiff last night.
However, the magnificent Matchroom mover says he could not be happier to have Molina as his foe in front of the sell-out crowd.
“Carlos is quality, he has a really good record,” he said.
“He’s been there, done it and boxed the best. He knows how to get through the rounds and knows how to put and keep the pressure on.
“I’ve trained 12 weeks really hard for this fight, I needed a fight that was really going to motivate me and put me on edge.
“This one certainly does.”
Words: Roy Kelly Pictures: Lawrence Lustig/ Matchroom
