Ben Winward questions whether super-welterweight Josh Kelly can get a seat at the top table
Last Saturday night, July 15, we saw Josh "Pretty Boy" Kelly (14-1-1, 7KO) put on a one-sided exhibition against the overmatched and extremely limited Argentine Luis Alberto Corzo.
Sunderland stylist Kelly did what he could against a very negative opponent whose mission from round one was evidently just to see the final bell, a point emphasised by his trainer darting into the ring at the bout’s conclusion to perform a bizarre celebratory dance.
In many ways it was a textbook Josh Kelly showcase; dazzling hand speed, superb shot selection, classy footwork and head movement, evading shots sometimes by half an inch and sometimes by 10, all the while making it look like he’d barely left first gear. Flip the coin and you also saw extended instances of posturing, a lack of significant pop, as well as a real desire to go through the gears and push for the stoppage to rubberstamp a decent yet hardly spectacular tick over performance.
Critics would question what the top names in the division such as undisputed champion Jermell Charlo or WBO Interim titlist Tim Tszyu would have done to Corzo last night (the correct answer is a quick stoppage), however contrasting strengths deal with different styles in different ways.
We certainly didn’t learn anything new here. If given the room to work, pick his shots and fight at his own pace, Kelly will always look a class act. His sole blemish against David Avanesyan however, and to a lesser extent the mid to late rounds against Ray Robinson, showed that when higher level opposition get on his chest and forces him to fight at an uncomfortable tempo, down the stretch that pot shotting style based off non-stop angles inevitably starts to take its toll. His last fight did nothing to show us that this limitation in his eye-catching style has now been eradicated at his newly found home of 154lbs.
What next?
So what are the options now for the one-time Matchroom flagship prospect who looked destined for world honours?
Given his style based on speed of hand, foot and reaction times, at 29 Kelly is now approaching his peak years. Coming off a career best performance last time out against Troy Williamson, perhaps this was the opportunity to build momentum and really make a statement against a fringe world level fighter, however Josh Kelly fans were instead made to wait seven months for a fight against Corzo, the ‘world #9’ according to the WBO, or the world #208 according to BoxRec. This fight will have served a purpose in boosting Kelly’s ranking with a key governing body, so not a wasted exercise, but now is the time to start making some headway towards the top end of the 154lb division.
The mooted options post-fight were to try and manoeuvre into a position to fight for a world title, or alternatively try and make a British blockbuster against Connor Benn, Chris Eubank Jr or Kell Brook. But how realistic is it that these fights could actually happen next?
The problem for Kelly right now is he is high risk, low reward. Anyone can see that perhaps bar knockout power, he has all the natural ability to make a lot of fighters in the division look ordinary. He even did vs Avanesyan in very brief spots. The issue however, is his resume states his best win is for the British title, with the world one level name dispatching him in 6 rounds. With this in mind, why would a Connor Benn or Chris Eubank Jr take a fight with Kelly, over one with each other, a Liam Smith or a Kell Brook?
Trainer Adam Booth eluded in the post fight interview on DAZN that world titles would always be there down the line, but an all British blockbuster would be the preference next due to the prize money at stake. I would agree with Adam Booth, but unfortunately heeding to that logic, for those other domestic names there is more prize money to be made in fighting each other.
On the bright side, Kelly is now in a division that could be about to be blown wide open. With undisputed champ Jermell Charlo securing boxing’s golden ticket to fight Canelo, the landscape of the four belts may be about to change significantly.
If a vacant title shot isn’t immediately possible, Kelly would be well served to raise his stock on the world stage and at least start building some significant names on his resume. Terrell Gausha, Austin Trout or even James Metcalf for the IBO super-welterweight title would be acceptable transition fights, before then hopefully being in a position to fight for a main world title belt early next year. If this perhaps idealistic plan was to play out, in 12 months’ time Kelly could be in an extremely strong position to be calling for those domestic blockbusters he evidently craves, with a title belt to his name and his commercial position in those fights sky rocketing.
The potential of Josh Kelly has long been disputed since he turned professional six years ago. Some say he is more style over substance, others feel he has the skills to go all the way, just ask Adam Booth who consistently attests he is the most naturally talented fighter he has ever worked with. A statement of the highest praise. It is now time to kick on and show against higher quality opposition what he already does in flashes every time we watch him, and from what we hear day in and day out in the gym.
Given his self-publicised struggles outside of the ring, the British boxing scene would love to see Josh Kelly battle back and reach the heights that once seemed inevitable. Let’s hope that starts with a significant step up in the Autumn, not a world top 200 in seven months’ time.
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