Josh Kelly became the new IBF super welterweight champion, as he took a close majority decision win against Bakhram Murtazaliev in a thrilling contest where both men tasted the canvas at Newcastle Arena.
Murtazaliev (23-1, KO17) became champion in April 2014, knocking Jack Culcay out in 11 rounds in Germany to take the vacant belt, and defended ruthlessly six months later, stopping Tim Tszyu in three. Kelly outboxed him in Newcastle
Kelly (18-1-1, KO9) was a precocious amateur, and had won seven on the spin since a 2021 stoppage loss to David Avanesyan, the last a first-round knockout of Flavius Biea last June.
It was a cat and mouse first round, Kelly connected well with his jab, and a hard left hook staggered the champion in an early success for ‘PBK’.
After a third where both men exchanged, Kelly made a breakthrough, a solid jab on the counter for Kelly dropping Murtazaliev.
It was more a flash knockdown, and the visitor recovered, but Kelly was walking his man onto punches to great success in rounds five and six.
Murtazaliev began to inch his way into contention, and got the better of trades in the seventh, but back came Kelly, combination shots to the body troubling Murtazaliev in the eighth.
Just as the belt was coming into view for Kelly, disaster struck as a left hook from Murtazaliev drove him back and dropped him hard, and he did well to survive the count and see out the round.
Kelly was now starting to hold and become under heavy fire, and he did well to take the sting out of what was coming his way, possibly shipping both rounds ten and eleven, and with the fight up for grabs, he produced a superb closing round, a flurry finding the mark as well as a left hook as the fight went to the cards.
A 113-113 card was overruled by scores of 115-111 and 114-113 in Kelly’s favor to crown him the new champion.
Elif Nur Turhan vs Taylah Gentzen
On the undercard, Elif Nur Turhan (13-0, KO8) made a first defence of her IBF lightweight title with a split decision win against Taylah Gentzen (8-2, KO3).
One judge ruled Gentzen a 97-93 winner, but scores of 98-92 and 96-94 ensured Nur Turhan kept the title.
Remaining undercard
Josh Padley (18-1, KO6) became the new European super featherweight champion, as he scored a rare stoppage, halting Jaouad Belmehdi (23-3-3, KO11) in the second round to take the vacant title home.
The vacant Northern Area lightweight title was claimed by Josh Blenkiron (8-0-1, KO0) as he triumphed on the cards against the previously unbeaten Robie Coleman (7-1, KO1). Blenkiron took victory by the slenderest of margins, winning 96-95 on the referee’s scorecard.
In the sole six-rounder, Lee Rogers (7-0, KO2) remained unbeaten, as the local super bantamweight won all six sessions against Erick Omar Lopez (20-35-3, KO12).
In four rounders, Leo Atang (4-0, KO4) took a third-round knockout win against Amine Boucetta (9-18, KO0) at heavyweight.
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Cruiserweight novice Bradley Casey (4-0, KO1) won all four rounds in his meeting with Lee Roberts (1-4, KO1), and bantamweight debutant Kiaran McDonald (1-0, KO0) was a 40-35 winner against Marius Vysniauskas (3-28, KO1).
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