Josh Kelly became Sunderland's first boxing world champion after outpointing Bakhram Murtazaliev on Saturday night
Josh Kelly celebrates defeating Bakhram Murtazaliev after their IBF World Super Welterweight bout at Utilita Arena, Newcastle. Picture date: Saturday January 31, 2026.
Josh Kelly celebrates defeating Bakhram Murtazaliev after their IBF World Super Welterweight bout at Utilita Arena, Newcastle. Picture date: Saturday January 31, 2026.(Image: PA)
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Boxer Josh Kelly was left feeling like he was "in a dream" after becoming Sunderland's first world champion. The slick super-welterweight defeated Russian Bakhram Murtazaliev on points in Newcastle on Saturday night.
It was a hard-fought win for the 31-year-old, who knocked Murtazaliev down in the fourth round before being knocked down himself in the ninth. Kelly is now setting his sights on a title defence at the Stadium of Light this summer and Sunderland AFC has already welcomed him into their boardroom for a meeting on Monday.
At a press conference after the fight, Kelly - who had his hard earned IBF World Super Welterweight belt by his side - was asked how big a role the vocal fans played in his win as they sang 'Walking in a Kelly Wonderland'. "I was probably in my own Wonderland", Kelly laughed. "I didn't know where I was! After round nine I was in some sort of Wonderland.
"I remember turning [Murtazaliev] on the ropes in round 12 and hitting him with a combination and I was like, 'don't get too greedy'...when I hit him with that combination I thought 'if you keep the rest of this round clean, you've won that, and that gets one round back.
"I felt like I won the fight anyway with the knockdown and his knockdown, so it evened it up. I was like 'just see this round out now and you've got the win'. It feels like a dream."
Josh Kelly celebrates beating Bakhram Murtazaliev after their IBF World Super Welterweight Title fight on January 31, 2026 in Newcastle
Josh Kelly celebrates beating Bakhram Murtazaliev after their IBF World Super Welterweight Title fight on January 31, 2026 in Newcastle
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(Image: Matchroom Boxing/Getty Images)
Kelly also offered words of encouragement to youngsters in the North East during the conference. He continued: "I showed I can get caught, and get back up and finish the fight off. I don't think many people thought I had that in me. It's a message to everyone out there, to the kids who are coming from nothing, thinking they're grinding from nothing. When you've got an opportunity, take it. Keep going and believe in yourself even when everyone thinks you're crazy."
He also gave credit to Murtazaliev, who went into the fight unbeaten. Kelly added: "He did punch hard. It wasn't a crazy power feeling it on the gloves, but it's the shots you don't see coming that catch you and that's what caught me and the shot which caught him also.
"There were a couple of shots where I hurt him, which he didn't go down from - tough guy, man. The game plan worked perfect except that one left hook!"
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