Dave Allen has delivered an emphatic prediction for Josh Kelly’s first stab at world honours against IBF super-welterweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev.
The pair will square off at the Newcastle Arena on Saturday, with Murtazaliev entering his mandatory title defence on away soil.
An 11th round finish over Jack Culcay in Germany saw the fearsome Russian claim his IBF strap in 2024, before defending it against Tim Tszyu later that year.
This time, it was a far more destructive third-round stoppage victory that only enhanced Murtazaliev’s reputation as a tremendous knockout artist.
With the 33-year-old having not fought for just over 15 months, though, many believe that Kelly has what it takes to upset the odds and emerge victorious.
The Sunderland man’s only professional defeat arrived against David Avanesyan in 2021, when a lack of experience saw him fold under the non-stop pressure of his opponent.
Since then, the 31-year-old has claimed notable points victories over the likes of Troy Williamson and Ishmael Davis, both of them at domestic level, and is yet to properly test himself against a world-class opponent at 154lbs.
He will, however, do just that tomorrow evening, when British heavyweight Allen suspects that Murtazaliev’s power will prove too much for ‘Pretty Boy’ Kelly.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Allen finds it difficult to overlook what transpired in Kelly’s outing against Avanesyan, which turned out to be his last fight at 147lbs.
“Mismatch is such a strong word, because Josh Kelly has the ability to make this a good fight for three or four rounds.
“But I just can’t see a world where Josh Kelly goes 12 rounds with Murtazaliev. I can see him outboxing Murtazaliev for three or four rounds, but I can’t see him making a dent in him.
“I’m a big Avanesyan fan, but a natural super-lightweight ground [Kelly] down and stopped him. Murtazaliev is twice as big as Avanesyan [and] hits twice as hard.
“I don’t give him [Kelly] a chance.”
It is not only the seek-and-destroy approach he brings to each fight, but also his relaxed style, which makes Murtazaliev a particularly dangerous puncher.