Boxing Results: Josh Kelly Edges Bakhram Murtazaliev for IBF Belt

Kelly had his best moments early and in the middle rounds. He stepped around Murtazaliev, walked him onto left hooks and short counters, and often landed the cleaner punch in close rounds. His movement drew frustration from the champion and helped him steal rounds that were otherwise short on clear separation.

Murtazaliev’s strongest argument came through force and damage. He landed the heavier shots throughout and dropped Kelly with a left hook, a moment that briefly shifted the fight and raised questions about how the rounds were being read. He continued to apply pressure late, backing Kelly up and finishing several rounds on the front foot.

That tension ran through the scorecards. One judge saw it even at 113-113. Two others sided with Kelly, returning scores of 114-113 and 115-111. The margins reflected the difficulty of the fight to score rather than any sense of control by either man.

Kelly improved to 18-1-1 and claimed his first world title. It was a disciplined and resilient performance, especially given the knockdown and the sustained pressure he faced. At the same time, the result will be debated. Murtazaliev’s power shots and late work made several rounds hard to dismiss, and the wider card for Kelly drew immediate scrutiny.

Murtazaliev fell to 23-1, losing his IBF belt after just one successful defence. He remained aggressive and durable throughout, and there was little in the fight to suggest a clear gap between the two men.

Kelly celebrated with the home crowd, and the night will stand as the biggest win of his career. Whether it settles the question of superiority between the two fighters is another matter entirely.