IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev and 3-rank Josh Kelly were ordered by the sanction body to start negotiating with a deadline of September 19 before ordering a wallet.
Ibf order murtazaliev vs kelly
Kelly (17-1-1, 9 cost) passed an offer to face Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis in favor of Murtazaliev for his IBF belt. It is a difficult battle for the Olympic 2016, Kelly, to challenge Murtazaliev, because he is not a Power Puncher.
Russia-born Bakhram, 32, was left alone by the big names, Sebastian Fundora, and Terence Crawford since lasting a best knockout victory in Tim Tszyu last October 19. None of the big fights have come since Murtazaliev’s way.
Kelly was stopped at Welterweight four years ago by David Avanesyan on February 20, 2021. He has since won his last seven fights, but not against any big punchers. Murtazaliev is at a different level than Avanesyan power -wise and more dangerous with any hand.
As Murtazaliev showed in his last fight and knocked out Tszyu, he could injure his opponents with his left hand. Murtazaliev injured his primary weapon, his right hand, in the training camp and was forced to rely on his left for the Tszyu battle.
Box insider, Fernando SabatinI brought the news that the IBF ordered the Murtazaliev against Kelly negotiations.
Kelly’s courageous challenge at 154 pounds
Kelly, 31, shows a lot of courage by choosing to take this battle with Murtazaliev, rather than waiting for a title shot against WBO junior middleweight champion Xander Zayas. This is a fight that Kelly might have a better chance of winning, because Zayas, 22, is not a puncher. He is a pure boxer who moves and holds a lot.
The IBF recently ordered compulsory Erickson Lubin and Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 COs) on July 21. Lubin decided not to take the fight and in the direction of an attack against the WBC-TUs-Tus 154-pound champion, Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Last updated on 08/20/2025
