Russian boxer Bakhram Murtazaliev is currently preparing for the defense of his IBF junior middleweight world championship title, where he is scheduled to face Britain’s Josh Kelly. Earlier this week in Newcastle, England, the fighters participated in a face-to-face staredown. The main event is set for January 31st, according to the Boxing Federation of Russia.
For Bakhram Murtazaliev, this contest marks his title defense and a much-anticipated return to the ring. The Russian last competed in October 2024, securing a victory via third-round technical knockout against Australia’s Tim Tszyu.
The 33-year-old Russian maintains an undefeated professional record, boasting 23 wins, 17 of which came by knockout. His challenger is 32 years old, possessing 17 professional victories (9 by KO), alongside one loss and one draw. Josh Kelly’s sole defeat was against another Russian boxer, David Avanesyan.
Although Kelly isn’t viewed as the division’s primary threat, he nonetheless poses a significant danger to the champion. The Brit will be fighting in front of his home crowd, while his fighting style and drive up the unpredictability of this bout.
Analysts suggest that while this represents a risky matchup for Murtazaliev, it isn’t his most significant contest in terms of prestige. A victory over Kelly will only slightly boost the Russian’s standing in the rankings, whereas a defeat could severely damage his reputation and jeopardize future unification bout aspirations.
The IBF world title fight between Bakhram Murtazaliev and Josh Kelly will take place on January 31st in Newcastle, United Kingdom. It is worth recalling that the Russian boxer was born and raised in Grozny. However, due to the initial military campaign in the Chechen Republic, he relocated with his family to Plast in 1999.
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