A deal has been agreed between IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev and Josh Kelly for a fight on January 31, 2026 in England. Tuesday’s purse bid has reportedly been canceled after an agreement was reached for Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing to promote the event.
Dan Rafael broke the story earlier today. #3 IBF Kelly (17-1-1, 9 KOs) will get his first title shot after eight years in the pro ranks. It’s a tough one for him, as he lacks power and is overmatched in the only other time he’s fought a big puncher, in David Avanesyan, in a sixth-round knockout on February 20, 2021.
Murtazaliev’s year-long wait ends
Bakhram (23-0, 17 KOs) finally got a fight after a solid 12 months on the sidelines after scoring a career-best third-round knockout win over Tim Tszyu on October 19, 2024.
The Grozny, Russia-born Murtazaliev, 32, was hoping to capitalize on his upset win over former WBO 154-lb champion Tszyu with big fights. He was treated like a leper by the top contenders and champions at junior middleweight. None of them showed any interest in fighting him.
Is Kelly a step down for champion?
Kelly, 31, is the best Murtazaliev’s team has been able to unearth, and of course it’s nowhere near the top dogs he would have preferred to fight. If Bakhram looks like a pure impressive destruction of Josh on January 31, 2026, some of the reluctant top fighters might show interest in fighting him if he doesn’t scare them or their promoters off.
BREAKING: According to a source, an agreement was reached for a fight between IBF 154 titlist Bakhram Murtazaliev and mandatory challenger Josh Kelly on Monday night and Tuesday’s purse bid has been cancelled. Fight supposed to be January 31 at the site TBA in England. Matchroom Boxing will promote the fight. #box
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) October 28, 2025
2016 Olympian Kelly has won his last seven fights since losing to Avanesyan in 2021. However, Kelly’s opposition was far from sensational. Of those seven, Ishmael Davis stands out, and he’s lost three of his last four fights. That tells you the level of opposition Kelly has fought since his loss to Avanesyan.
Social media predicts a carnage
Fans on social media today tore apart the Murtazaliev-Kelly fight, labeling it a massacre waiting to happen. They don’t give Kelly a chance to defeat Bakhram, which predicts an early knockout.
Last updated on 28/10/2025
