Connect with us

Boxing

Bakhram Murtazaliev vs Josh Kelly – live scoreboard and full undercard results

Published

on

Bakhram Murtazaliev vs Josh Kelly live scorecard and full undercard results

Josh Kelly will make his maiden world title challenge against devastating champion Bakhram Murtazaliev at the Newcastle Arena tonight.

The 2016 Olympian moved up to super welterweight in 2022 after a heartbreaking loss to David Avanesyan, but has yet to face a world-class opponent in the division. He did, however, have notable victories on the huge stage over Troy Williamson and Ishmael Davis.

Russia’s Murtazaliev is an undeniable improvement, best known to boxing fans for last crushing Tim Tsyzu in three rounds in October 2024. Could a long break, combined with Kelly’s proficient style and home advantage, spell trouble for the champion? Or will Murtazalieva’s steely poise and raw power remain undefeated and with the IBF belt firmly in hand?

After the prelims, the card features rising heavyweight star Leo Atang in his fourth fight and likely fourth victory after the break, Turkey’s Elif Nur Turhan, who is looking to continue her knockout streak and defend her lightweight belt, and Josh Padley, fighting for the vacant European 130-pound title.

Boxing News brings you undercard results, summaries and live scorecards main event.

Results below the card

Leo Atang vs. Amine Boucetta – heavyweight

Result: Atang KO 3. 19-year-old heavyweight contender Atang got past the first round for the first time and ended the fight in the third period when Boucetta took a knee off a body shot and didn’t count. It was the performance expected from a potential future star, who showed off his speed, athleticism and good head and body variety. This can be compared to Moses Itauma’s fight with the same fighter in 2023 – his fifth fight and a knockout in 90 seconds.

Elif Nur Turhan vs Taylah Gentzen – IBF lightweight world title

Result: Turhan SD. Turhan went the distance with the clever and clumsy Gentzen, retaining the belt with a Deontay Wilder-esque performance with plenty of swings and misses. As shots began to rain at the end of the match, the challenger heard a buzzing sound but stayed on her feet to hear the final bell. A tender fight to watch, with wildly different cards 98-92, 93-97, 96-94.

Josh Padley vs Jaouad Belmehdi – EBU European super featherweight title

Result: Padley TKO 2. An uncompromising performance from Josh Padley, who was piercing from the opening bell and was in good form when Belmehdi was injured for the first time in the second round. After the second knockdown – a pristine right hook – the referee stopped the fight, and the Frenchman faced unnecessary punishment. Padley takes the European away with a real victory and the journey continues.

Bakhram Murtazaliev vs Josh Kelly scorecard and results

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total
Murtazaliev 0
Kelly 0

Result: –

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Boxing

Canelo Alvarez discusses his retirement plan

Published

on

Canelo Alvarez addresses his retirement plan

Canelo Alvarez talked about how long he could stay in the sport before hanging up his gloves and opting for a decorated career.

The 35-year-old is already destined for a place in the Hall of Fame, as he became a four-division world champion, but he still wants to compete at the highest level.

Since his professional debut in 2005, the Mexican has made 68 appearances and has twice become the undisputed king of the 168-pound division, scoring notable victories over the likes of Callum Smith and Caleb Plant.

However, his most critical victory came in the middleweight division, where Alvarez made a very controversial decision by majority vote in a rematch with Gennady Golovkin in 2018.

More controversial was their first meeting a year earlier, when many felt Golovkin had done enough to claim a convincing victory and the Kazakhstan ended in a draw.

Still, Canelo received plenty of credit for his follow-up triumph before dethroning Sergei Kovalev to capture the WBO featherlight heavyweight title over a year later.

Alvarez’s second undisputed super middleweight reign came to an end last September when Terence Crawford moved up two weight classes and won a unanimous decision.

But Canelo explained anyway Froch About the fight that he can still compete for another two years, maybe even longer, depending on how often his opportunities come along.

“I don’t know. I think maybe two years. I don’t need it, [but] I still enjoy it. If I [fight] maybe once a year [I can go on] a little bit [longer].

“Once a year to rest my body, I think I can fight more [than two years]”

Although an official announcement has not yet been made, Canelo is scheduled to fight in Riyad, Saudi Arabia this September, and Turki Alalshikh has promised to fight for the world title.

Continue Reading

Boxing

The Inoue-Nakatani title fight will take place on May 2 at the Tokyo Dome

Published

on

Boxing’s worst kept secret has now been confirmed – Naoya Inoue (32-0, 27 KO) and Junto Nakatani (32-0, 24 KO) will meet on May 2 at the Tokyo Dome for Inoue’s undisputed junior featherweight championship.

The all-Japan clash was formally announced at a press conference in Japan. The fight will be broadcast live on Lemino pay-per-view; US distribution rights have not yet been announced.

Inoue – ESPN’s No. 2 pound-for-pound boxer – is coming off an impressive 2025 in which he competed four times, defeating Kim Ye-Joon, Ramon Cardenas, Murodjon Akhmadaliev and David Picasso. Thanks to Inoue’s unanimous decision victory over Picasso in December, Nakatani defeated Sebastian Hernandez in the second fight of the night in a tougher-than-expected fight. Their victories set up a long-awaited clash between two of Japan’s best players.

Nakatani is ranked No. 6 pound-for-pound by ESPN and will look to become a four-division champion after winning world titles at bantamweight, junior bantamweight and flyweight. Although Nakatani narrowly won his junior featherweight debut in a grueling fight against Hernandez, Nakatani proved he was one of the best fighters in the world and had a powerful showing in 2025, winning 3-0.

The Undercard will feature Inoue’s younger brother Takuma defending his WBC bantamweight title against former four-division titleholder Kazuto Ioka.

Continue Reading

Boxing

Dan Rafael says IBF president opposed Jai Opetaia Presser

Published

on

Image: Dan Rafael: IBF President Felt Disrespected By Belt Display At Opetaia Presser

Jai Opetai’s fight against Brandon Glanton is still moving forward, but veteran reporter Dan Rafael says the issue that caused the IBF title to be removed from the fight had to do with how the belt was presented during fight week. Rafael reported that IBF president Daryl Peoples believes that the organization’s title was shown as secondary to Zuffa’s belt during a recent press conference.

This explanation makes the argument about the presentation rather than the match itself. Rafael wrote that Peoples objected to the way the belts were arranged at the press, with Zuffa’s belt posed for the cameras while Opetaia held the IBF title rather than raising it in the usual manner towards the audience.


“The IBF withdrew sanctions and sent the overseer home after the journalist because IBF President Daryl Peoples felt disrespected by the belt being placed secondary to Zuffa’s,” Rafael wrote on social media.

Fight week photos reflect the arrangement Rafael described. At the final press conference on Friday, Zuffa’s belt was centered and Opetaia held the red IBF title at his side. Saturday’s weigh-in had a similar effect. Zuffa’s belt was raised over the fighters on the restart, while Opetaia continued to hold the IBF Championship on his chest. This sequence appears to have irritated the sanctioning authority.

Rafael also reported another unusual detail related to the fight. Even after the IBF dropped its sanctions, Opetai and Glanton were still expected to adhere to IBF weight rules ahead of the morning fight. Rafael said that no competitor can weigh more than ten pounds over the cruiserweight weight limit of 200.

Rafael later noticed that the IBF belt continued to appear in promotion for the event. Opetaia held the title at media events and discussed it publicly, and graphics broadcast by Zuffa covered the championship. Rafael’s account points to the dispute that raged over Zuffa’s title belt relationship during press events.

Opetaia entered fight week as the IBF cruiserweight champion after regaining the belt in a rematch victory over Mairis Briedis in 2024. The Australian continues to wear the physical belt while promoting his fight against Glanton. Once he steps into the ring and takes part in an unsanctioned fight, the IBF Championship will no longer move forward with him.

The fight remains scheduled, and reports from Rafael indicate that the split was due to belt politics and presentations at public events. The episode shows how rigorously sanctioning bodies guard the status of their championships as modern promoters introduce competitive titles.

Click here to sign up for our FREE newsletter

Related boxing news:

Categories Latest

Last update: 2026/03/07 at 15:51

Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending