The fight itself was tense and uneven, but it was also purposeful. Kelly relied on movement, timing and control to take away Murtazaliev’s strengths. It wasn’t pretty for long stretches, but it was effective. By the final bell, Kelly had done enough to justify the scores and walk away with the title. What followed was more revealing than the fight.
Rather than address the other competitors waiting in the division, Kelly’s attention quickly turned to Conor Benn. Benn is a household name and a proven draw, but he is not a junior middleweight and has already indicated his plans involve a return to 147. The appeal of the match is clear, and it has little to do with setting the ranking at 154.
That shift stands out because Kelly has presented himself as someone unimpressed by fighters who chase visibility over substance. Yet Benn represents exactly that kind of opportunity: a big stage, a sellable story and a lower degree of divisional risk than the established threats Kelly now champions.
After beating Murtazaliev, Kelly has options he didn’t have before. He can use the belt to test himself against the rest of the division and dispel any remaining doubts about where he belongs. He can also use it to secure the biggest opportunity available while the spotlight is bright.
There is nothing unusual about choosing the latter. Boxing has always rewarded timing and leverage. The disconnect comes when that choice is presented as something else. A stadium fight against a natural welterweight might make sense financially, but it doesn’t advance the division or answer questions raised by Kelly’s title win.
Kelly earned respect by stepping in with Murtazaliev. The next defense will show if that fight was the start of a serious run at 154 or simply the moment that opened the door to a more comfortable path.
