Insider reporting has turned a close title fight into a procedural fight, after former IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev formally asked the International Boxing Federation to order an immediate rematch with Josh Kelly based on a disputed finals scorecard.
The fight took place at the Newcastle Arena on Saturday, where Kelly earned a majority decision to take Murtazaliev’s 154-pound title. The controversy is over the 12th round, which one judge scored 10-10. Another judge scored the round for Murtazaliev. Had the 10-10 been awarded to Murtazaliev instead, the fight would have been scored a draw, and he would have retained his belt under IBF rules.
According to Dan RafaelMurtazaliev’s team submitted a detailed six-page request asking the IBF to intervene. Rafael reported that the appeal now focuses on the final round and the rarity of a 10-10 score in a title fight with clear activity. “NEWS: Bakhram Murtazaliev, who lost the May December IBF 154 title to Josh Kelly on Saturday in Newcastle, England, Kelly’s home territory, has formally asked IBF to order an immediate rematch based on the highly unusual 10-10 score of rd 12 by referee Steve Gray,” Rafael added that another score would be on X.
Video of the 12th round shows Murtazaliev pressing forward for most of the three minutes, working behind a solid jab and cutting off the ring as Kelly moves sideways. Kelly had a brief moment when Murtazaliev missed and spun, allowing Kelly to fire a short flurry while his opponent’s back was exposed. Outside of that exchange, the round seemed to be dictated by the champion’s pressure and volume.
Whether the IBF orders a rematch will depend on how the commission views the scoring anomaly rather than a wholesale review of the fight. If the sanctioning body refuses to act, the result stands. If it does intervene, Kelly could be asked to return the title immediately. Either way, the finish left enough doubt that a second fight felt less like a favor and more like unfinished business.
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Last updated on 02/05/2026
