Josh Kelly is hoping to put the Great next to Britain in Newcastle on Saturday night.
The Sunderland star challenges unbeaten Russian monster Bakhram Murtazaliev for the California-based 32-year-old’s IBF Light-middleweight belt.
And while Britain is not short of Boxing gold dust – especially now the Frank Sinatra of the sport Tyson Fury is back on ANOTHER comeback – our islands lack one precious commodity. World champions.
Certainly among the fellas.
Kelly aims to grow the list this weekend at the Utilita Arena.
Britain boasts five global title holders, in alphabetical order, Liverpool’s WBA featherweight king Nick Ball, Northern Ireland’s IBF welterweight ruler Lewis Crocker, Jazza Dickens, another Scouser who has the WBA super-featherweight belt, Sheffield’s Dalton Smith after his spectacular WBC light-welterweighf triumph in the States.
Number five is Fabio Wardley, the Ipswich heavyweight who the WBO have promoted to be their title holder.
“Given the level of competition at the top of the divisions, just getting a shot at a world title is difficult,” said the Adam Booth-trained Kelly.
“Not many people get to fight for a world title and I’m in the position now when I can become my city’s world champion.
“To beat a tough, unbeaten Russian and defending IBF champion will be a real statement.
“Sam Noakes was really unlucky against Abdullah Mason, that was an amazing fight, but winning world titles at the moment is really hard.”
There have been some high-profile highly-lucrative matches in 2025, yet a dearth of world champs from the UK.
While earning the top bucks while you can is a must for a fighter, Kelly says glory and legacy drive him on.
”We’ve seen some big domestic fight nights and some for big money grudge fights,” said Josh.
“But money comes and goes. You can be a millionaire one day and have nothing the next.
“Legacy stands for so much and becoming world champion earns me a legacy./
“My dream is to make history for Sunderland and myself.”
Kelly could probably have not picked an opponent with a greater degree of difficulty than Murtazaliev for his crack at glory.
The US-based champion is a monster with a record of 23-0, 17 of those wins not requiring any judges. Ranked as the fourth best light-middle, junior-middle or super-welter by the Ring Magazine, Bakhram is prone to inflicting serious violence on those who get in his way.
Ranked third by the WBO, the Wearsider was linked with a clash with the World Boxing Organisation’s champion Xander Zayas.
But Kelly is not fazed by tackling the beast from the east.
“I was number one with the WBO but Zayas was boxing someone else and as number three in the IBF I could box Murtazaliev so I said I’ll take it, 100 per cent,” said the 31-year-old with the 17-1-1 record.
Taking that win number up to 18 will be something special.
There are three other championship contests on the Matchroom event
The world’s “most dangerous” female fighter Elif Nur Turhan, Turkey’s newly-crowned IBF world lightweight champion defends her title against Australia’s Taylah Gentzen.
Yorkshire’s Josh Padley challenges Jaouad Belmehdi for the vacant EBU super-featherweight championshipThere is also a Northern Area lightweight title showdown between two unbeaten men, Sunniside’s Josh Blenkiron and Jarrow’s Robbie Colman,
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Mark Robinson/ Matchroom
