Josh Kelly is looking for the challenge of coming to the Newbie WBO Junior Middleweight Champion Xander Zayas if he has the opportunity to fight him next. Kelly (17-1-1, 9 costs) is on the ranking of #3 WBO, and one of the potential opponents who could choose the top rank for Zayas (22-0, 13 COs) to make his first defense of his WBO title.
Last month, Xander won the vacant WBO title of 154 pounds and beat Jorge Garcia in New York on July 26 with a unanimous 12 round decision. Kelly believes that Xander “Gift” By being able to fight Garcia for the vacant belt.
“I believe I’m the best in Britain. I am the best at the moment in my weight class (154). I’m one of the best talents in Britain at the moment. I just need a getaway fight for one of these guys to take the fight to show myself, ‘Josh Kelly told Talksport Boxing. “I’m not sure,” Kelly said when asked if he should become the WBO for 154-pound champion Xander Zayas to fight against him. ‘
The UK is currently not well represented at 154. So, Kelly doesn’t say much if he claims to be the best in the UK at 154. He has to aim a little higher than that. There are many talented fighters in the division that would consider him food, but Xander is not one of them. He is easily the weakest link Among the champions at junior middleweight. Most, if not all, some of the top five contenders have more talent than Zayas and will probably get him jail as the top rank from the protection mode.
Can Kelly Dethrone Champion Xander Zayas?
“Zayas didn’t ask me long ago. He asked me on Sky Sports. No respect. I think he’s a great talent. He has no experience, and I think I will be able to take him to places he has never been before, ‘says Kelly. “As for styles, I think I can finally stand on his head.
A potential 50-50 Zayas-Kelly battle
Zayas-Kelly would be a 50-50 fight. As bad as Xander looks at Jorge Garcia, Kelly has a chance to hit him. The 22-year-old Zayas looked defective and completely defeated against Garcia. The matchmakers of Top Rank, of course, know that he is someone who has to be protected from someone on the 154-pound ranking. Kelly is also defeatable, and the matchmakers may feel confident enough to allow Xander to fight against him, provided the competition is staged on his home field in Puerto Rico.
“He’s 22 and he’s too young. He received a little gift with (Jorge Garcia) Perez. I will go there and take him off. I chase titles. If I want to get these big fights that fill stadiums, then I have a world title. Come get me. I will not chase him. Zayas. “There has never been a world champion from Sunderland.”
The top rank is likely to wait until they find a new broadcasting platform before defending Xander his WBO 154-Pond title. Kelly, 31, would be a potential opponent for him because they would not throw the inexperienced like Puncher Zayas immediately to the wolves without allowing him to milk the belt.
Josh is not a puncher either. So they will look in his direction before letting him get him everywhere near the WBC champion Sebastian Fundora or IBF champion Bakhram Murtazaliev.
Last updated on 08/10/2025
