JOSH KELLY will move on to hopefully challenge for a world title rather than revisit a fight against Liam Smith.
Smith was due to face Kelly on Saturday night on the Riyadh Season card at Wembley Stadium but pulled out because of a virus.
The Liverpudlian’s late replacement was ‘The Black Panther’ Ishmael Davis who Kelly defeated by majority decision with scorecards (115-113, 115-114, 114-114) that dumbfounded the winner and his team.
Saturday night’s bout was fought at middleweight but Kelly is currently ranked two with the WBO and five with the IBF at super-welterweight.
Kelly’s trainer Adam Booth spoke to Boxing News on Saturday night at Wembley Stadium and dismissed any idea of facing Smith next.
“That’s in the rear view mirror,” Booth said. “Wasted months on that one. A world title or a big fight (next).”
Booth, who has trained the likes of David Haye, George Groves and Michael Conlan, also shared his feelings on the Kelly-Davis scores.
“I scored it 9-3. Just disappointed with what the judges did. The win’s the most important thing and you move on but when judges do that to fighters it can wreck their career because you know full well that if you win the paydays go up, when you lose they go down.”
