FORMER British champion Josh Kelly could enter a mouth-watering domestic dustup in April, according to his promoter Kalle Sauerland.
The 30-year-old comes off a majority decision victory over short notice opponent Ishmael Davis, controlling most of the rounds before surviving a late onslaught.
‘Pretty Boy,’ though, was supposed to square off against former world champion Liam Smith, who pulled out of their scheduled clash last September due to an illness.
A win over Smith would have springboarded Kelly, 16-1-1 (8 KOs), closer towards a shot at world honours, with the skilful technician now looking to reach the upper echelons of his division.
While his last outing was at 160lbs, the Olympian is ranked third by the WBO and fourth by the IBF at super-welterweight, presenting him with plenty of options across both weight classes.
Wasserman Boxing promoter Sauerland, however, believes that the most lucrative matchups for Kelly are at middleweight.
“He’s going to be out most likely in April,” Sauerland told Boxing News. “It’s a big year ahead for him. He’s highly ranked at 154lbs but, at the same time, 160lbs is a comfortable weight for him.
“We’ll have one eye on what’s happening with [Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn on April 26], and we’ll also have one eye on the domestic names at 154 lbs.
“I’d love to make the Denzel Bentley fight [next] – he’s number one with the WBO.”
Bentley, 21-3-1 (17 KOs), comes off a unanimous decision victory over Brad Pauls last month, becoming a three-time British champion while also claiming the European middleweight strap.
Since then, the 30-year-old and his promoter, Queensberry Promotions boss Frank Warren, have expressed their interest in a potential rematch with unified champion Zhanibek Alimkhanuly.
The pair squared off back in 2022, with Bentley producing a strong performance only for his more experienced opponent to secure a comprehensive win on points.
But now, according to boxing journalist Dan Rafael, WBO and IBF titlist Alimkhanuly is set to defend his belts against British contender Shakiel Thompson, leaving a possible showdown between Kelly and Bentley firmly on the table.
