IBF WORLD super-welterweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev and mandatory challenger Josh Kelly have reportedly reached a deal to lock horns in January.
According to boxing journalist Dan Rafael, their showdown, which was expected to land at a purse bid hearing later today, will be promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.
While a location and venue is yet to be revealed, Rafael has added that England is the likely destination, with Kelly, 17-1-1 (9 KOs), earning himself a home advantage against the formidable Russian.
The pair have been in negotiations for quite some time, as it was back in August that the IBF ordered reigning champion Murtazaliev, 23-0 (17 KOs), to defend his title against the Sunderland man.
That much became clear shortly after Kelly replaced Erickson Lubin, who will instead face Vergil Ortiz Jr on November 8, as the sanctioning body’s leading contender at 154lbs.
Since then, a dawn-out spell of negotiations involving Kathy Duva, Murtazaliev’s promoter, and Kalle and Nisse Sauerland of Wasserman Boxing has prolonged the time it should have taken to get both fighters in the ring.
As a result, Murtazaliev has not fought since his third-round demolition job of Tim Tszyu in October 2024, while Kelly has banked just one fight – a one-round blowout in June – following his majority decision victory over Ishmael Davis last year.
Yet now, it would appear that, with the involvement of Hearn’s promotional outfit, both parties have finally put pen to paper and are gearing up for an intriguing showdown early next year.
As we await an official announcement from Matchroom, it would seem that, judging by Rafeal’s social media post earlier today, a site deal is only just being finalised.
On X, Rafael wrote: “Per source, on Monday night [a] deal was made for [the] fight between IBF 154[lbs] titlist Bakhram Murtazaliev & mandatory challenger Josh Kelly & Tuesday’s purse bid [was] cancelled.
“[Their] fight [is] supposed to be [on] Jan. 31 at [a] site TBA in England. Matchroom Boxing will promote the fight.”
Rafael then added that the fight could potentially take place on January 24, with terms of the deal indicating that it should be staged on or before January 31.
