It might be January in Newcastle, England, but the temperature was hot at the final news conference ahead of the IBF Super Welterweight title fight between champion Bakhram Murtazaliev and challenger Josh Kelly from nearby Sunderland, England. And that’s just how boxing fans like it.
It’s the first title fight in ten years in northern England at the Utilita Arena, with several British fighters appearing on the undercard, along with a sensational women’s title fight featuring knockout artists Elif Nur Turhan of Turkey.
This fight risks being lost on the busy weekend boxing schedule, but it’s worth noting the early start time for American fans watching on DAZN. It gets underway with undercard prelims at noon ET/9 a.m. PT, and the main card at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.
“Pretty Boy” Kelly (17-1-1, 9 KOs) is nothing but confident going into his title fight opportunity. His single loss against David Avanesyan in 2021 is well in the rear view mirror,
But Kelly will get all he can handle from Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 KOs), a Russian native training in the California high desert in the Indio gym run by the Diaz brothers with a full stable of Uzbek, Russian, and Eastern European buzzsaws.
Perhaps the best fighter in the small stable of Main Events (yes, still in business!), Murtazaliev mowed down Kelly’s countryman Jack Culcay to win his title, then put a serious hurt on well-regarded Australian Tim Tsyzu. It’s not often we say a fighter has been destroyed in the ring, but what Murtazaliev did to Tszyu was stunning.
Murtazaliev hasn’t been able to capitalize on his huge victory in October 2024. But he’s not letting it worry him.
“Fifteen months out was a long time, but it went very well,” said Murtazaliev. “I was training a lot and I am looking forward a lot to stepping in the ring on Saturday and do what I like to and what I love to do.
“They’re confident, as you would expect. It makes me laugh a little bit about knocking me down. But let’s see what Saturday is going to bring, and let’s see what’s after the fight.”
Josh Kelly: Setbacks and Bigger Plans
For his part, Kelly said suffering the loss dealt him a setback he felt at the time was insurmountable. But now, he believes it was in his long-term best interests.
“You don’t really know why they’re happening at the time. You know, God’s got you, and he’s going to make everything his plans bigger than yours,” said a reflective Kelly. “So I’m in a great position now.
“It’s all come round to this. I feel at home. I feel relaxed. This is everything I’ve envisioned and everything I’ve thought about. It has come to fruition, including this. So I can’t wait!”
Tensions due to the high stakes boiled over on Thursday. Watch the news conference here.
Kelly, who is trained by Adam Booth, said he put pressure on himself after the loss, but eventually learned that a loss doesn’t define him.
“That totally changed my mindset because I thought, nobody cares. When you go home, and when it’s all said and done, when you’re retired, nobody is really going to care. Win, lose, or draw, it’s not the end of the world.
“Boxing defines us, but it doesn’t define who I am. Boxing is my life, but life’s not for boxing. Life is for trying to do the best you can. And that’s what makes me a more dangerous fighter. So be careful, Bakhram. I’m coming for you.”
Booth has utmost confidence in Kelly. “I’ve seen him come back from the worst moments where we have a mature man in his prime without many miles on the clock, with unique skill, a unique flow and state IQ. I’m confident as a challenger, and as a trainer.
“I’m not going to divulge anything that I’ve looked at. He’s (Murtazaliev) a very good fighter. He’s a world champion and justifiably so. It kind of makes us even more excited because it’s real. You’re fighting someone that everybody’s saying they don’t want to fight. And, right from the get-go, Joshua said I want to fight him.”
Murtazaliev’s manager, Egis Klimas, said he knows the champion will hear the boos in Newcastle, but their tune will change.
“When Sergey Kovalev beat Nathan Cleverly years ago, I remember when we were going into the ring and everybody was booing and yelling and whistling. But after the fight there was a line up next to the ring (with fans asking for photos). So, we are looking forward to it,” said Klimas.
Klimas said he’s confident Murtazliev will win Saturday, setting up bigger fights on the horizon.
As likable and dedicated as Kelly is, it’s hard to see him overcoming the oncoming train in Murtazaliev. Here’s hoping he enjoys a sensational ringwalk and tremendous support from his fans before the dangerous, driven Russian breaks him down with his skills, accuracy, and power.
Elif Nur Turhan Returns to Action
Murtazaliev isn’t the only dangerous power-punching champion on the card. Our 2025 Women’s Fighter of the Year, IBF World Lightweight champion Elif Nur Turhan of Istanbul, Turkey (12-0, 8 KOs) defends the title she won just eight weeks ago in a thrashing over decorated Olympian and world champion Beatriz Ferreira of Brazil.
Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn, who recently signed Turhan, calls her one of the biggest power punchers in all of boxing.
She will face Taylah Gentzen of Australia (8-1, 3 KOs). There is nothing on Gentzen’s resume to indicate she’ll be anything but Turhan’s latest victim.
Turhan says winning her first world championship is not the end of her goals.
“The most important thing to me is defending this title and then moving on to win more. Of course, I thank Eddie for what he has said, but punching the hardest is not the most important thing when it comes to fighting. Discipline and fight IQ is just as important.
“I’ve prepared as hard as I can for this fight, so hopefully I can show what I am all about and what I have got. I’ve prepared as hard as I can to perform well on these big stages and whatever comes on the night, it will be as a result of my hard work.”
Turhan is quickly becoming a must-see fighter. If you don’t watch her live on Saturday, catch her fight for as long as it lasts later. If you need more evidence, watch highlights from her championship fight.
Josh Padley Pursues Regional Title
In the co-main event, former electrician Josh Padley of Yorkshire (17-1, 5 KOs) challenges Jaouad Belmehdi of France (23-2-3, 11 KOs) for the vacant EBU Super Featherweight Championship. One year ago, Padley was a last-minute replacement against Shakur Stevenson, taking his first loss after a surprising win over highly regarded Mark Chamberlain.
Since then, Padley notched two solid victories and is back on is feet. “It’s a massive opportunity for myself with a major title on the line. I am going to give it everything I have got and make it three out of three,” said Padley.
“When you get to this stage now, you know that every fighter is going to be at a good level. He’s in that position for a reason, so he deserves this shot as much as I do. I think it should make for a very decent fight.”
Also on the card, 19-year-old British heavyweight prospect Leo Atang of York (3-0, 3 KOs) looks ahead to his fifth professional fight against Amine Bouchetta of Belgium (9-17).
Atang is happy to stay active early in his pro career.
“Of course, there is still pressure on me, and there are some nerves, purely because it means so much to me. But I’m starting to get used to it now with all the outside commitments that come with it, like media interviews and more which was all new to me away from my boxing. I’m taking it all in my stride now.
“Once you get in the ring anyway, you do your thing. Any fighter would be lying if they said they didn’t want a first-round knockout. However, I also know that sometimes you do need to get the rounds in and get more experience under your belt. If that’s what I can get out of this one, then so be it.”
Gayle Falkenthal is an award-winning boxing journalist and the only woman journalist who is a full voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). She is the Managing Editor for NY Fights based in San Diego, California.