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Josh Kelly faces evaded IBF champion Bakhram Murtazaliev

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Image: Josh Kelly Gets the Fight Others Avoid as Murtazaliev Finally Returns

Why you can’t ignore layoffs

Murtazaliev last fought in October 2024, when he defeated Tim Tszyu and confirmed his weight at 154 pounds. He should have opened the door. That didn’t happen. He emerged from that fight threatening, dominant and commercially abandoned. Being too demanding without drawing power causes fighters to stagnate.

The tools remain. Pressure. Cutting rings. Engage in shots that cause damage rather than earning praise. What needs proving now is timing. Long breaks blunt instincts. Closing the space from moving after such a long time is not automatic.

Kelly’s plan is obvious and delicate

There is no mystery to Josh Kelly’s approach. He will move. He will deceive. Touch it once and go away. Only single shots. Anything else risks falling.

Kelly cannot trade. It cannot be based on exchanges. Against Murtazaliev, such a fight ends quickly. Survival depends on distance control and neat exits in each round.

The problem is durability. Traffic slows down. Legs are burning. The ring is shrinking. Murtazaliev thrives when opponents lose half a step.

The career advantage that Kelly stands on

Kelly is a 2016 Olympian who has bounced back once before. His sixth-round loss to David Avanesyan in 2021 cost him years. He stepped aside carefully. At the age of 31, this path is shorter.

Another championship loss wouldn’t end his career. This is a decisive task, whether he says so or not.

Victory changes everything. The IBF belt gives you an advantage. Jaron Ennis has already been mentioned. Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Sebastian Fundora live in the same league. These fights only exist on hardware.

What will this fight really decide?

Murtazaliev enters as the favorite. The pressure is expected to build from round to round until Kelly runs out of space. Kelly needs a near-perfect performance. Murtazaliev needs to show that the break has not taken away his sharpness.

The bottom tab adds content. Josh Padley will face Jaouad Belmehdi in a twelve-round fight for the vacant EBU super featherweight title. Padley is remembered for interfering tardy in a match against Shakur Stevenson last February in Riyad and being stopped. This is a chance to reset.

The main event decides more than just the defense. Murtazaliev needs dynamics and visibility. Kelly needs proof that he still belongs at this level. Only one comes out with answers.

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Joshua vs Fury Confirmed for December 11 in Cardiff on Netflix

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"Joshua vs Fury Confirmed for December 11 in Cardiff on Netflix"

Principality Stadium secures the British heavyweight fight, with a London press conference next week and the undercard to follow.

Anthony Joshua (30-4, 27 KOs) and Tyson Fury (36-2-1, 25 KOs) will fight at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Friday, December 11. Netflix will broadcast the full event exclusively after organizers secured a British venue for the heavyweights’ first professional meeting.

Turki Alalshikh announced the fight, and Joshua and Fury are scheduled to attend a London press conference next week. The supporting card will be announced later; no undercard opponents were named in the supplied announcement.

The December date replaces the November plan discussed earlier in negotiations. Wembley had been Joshua’s preferred destination, but Cardiff secured the event following talks over whether the fight would remain in Britain or move to the United States.

Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn insisted on a UK venue. His contract included that requirement, and their position held despite discussions involving New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

Dana White said: “For more than a decade, boxing fans have been clamoring for the heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Together, they bring 66 wins, 52 knockouts and multiple heavyweight world titles into the ring. On December 11, two of the biggest heavyweights of this generation finally collide and the winner will take a significant place in heavyweight history.”

Netflix to broadcast the full Cardiff card

Netflix’s preference for an evening American broadcast drove the push to stage the fight across the Atlantic. Madison Square Garden emerged as the leading US option before negotiations returned to Britain.

Cardiff keeps the contest on British soil, with a late opening bell expected to accommodate viewers in the United States.

The main event is expected around 1 a.m. UK timealthough the exact time has not been confirmed. If that schedule holds. A 1 a.m. GMT start would put the main event at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, December 11 for viewers on America’s east coast.

The fight is expected to take place beneath Principality Stadium’s retractable roof.

London press conference scheduled for next week

Alalshikh welcomed the agreement after months of negotiations over the event.

“Two of the best heavyweights of this generation, finally in the ring together. This will be one of the biggest fights in boxing history, I am very happy to make this fight happen for the fans,” he said.

Joshua and Fury previously signed a two-fight agreement in 2021. That booking collapsed after an arbitration ruling required Fury to face Deontay Wilder again.

Their December meeting now has a confirmed date, venue and broadcaster. Next week’s press conference will bring both fighters to London, with the remaining card and precise event timetable still to follow.

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Boxing247.com is an independent boxing news publication covering the sport since 2001. It provides original reporting, fight analysis, schedules, results, and informed coverage of major fighters and events worldwide, backed by more than 25 years of professional boxing journalism.

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Manny Pacquiao and Shakur Stevenson Discuss Potential Fight in Cardiff

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"Manny Pacquiao and Shakur Stevenson Discuss Potential Fight in Cardiff"

Manny Pacquiao against Shakur Stevenson remains under discussion for the proposed Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury card in Cardiff. It would give the event a second major fight, but neither Pacquiao nor Stevenson has received a bout agreement.

BoxingScene’s Lance Pugmire reports that two people connected to the talks say Netflix wants the matchup as part of a “double main event.” December 11 is the date under consideration at Principality Stadium, with December 18 also possible. Pacquiao adviser Jas Mathur told BoxingScene that Pacquiao’s financial terms are still being negotiated.

That leaves a great deal to settle before anyone can call this a fight. The Cardiff show itself has yet to be formally announced, and moving Joshua-Fury from the previously discussed Madison Square Garden setting means assembling the rest of the card around a different venue and date.

Pacquiao-Stevenson would bring two very different attractions to that card. Stevenson, 29, is coming off his January win over Teofimo Lopez and has since signed with Zuffa Boxing. Pacquiao, 47, drew with Mario Barrios in his July 2025 return. His name would draw attention far beyond the usual boxing audience, though the long layoff and age difference would become part of the conversation as soon as the fight was announced.

The proposed pairing also raises a practical question: what weight would they fight at? Pacquiao’s return came at welterweight, while Stevenson’s recent work has been at lighter weights. No weight, number of rounds, or title terms have been announced.

For now, the news is that Pacquiao-Stevenson has survived the reported switch to Cardiff and remains in Netflix’s plans, according to BoxingScene. The decisive development would be agreements reaching both fighters. Until then, it belongs on the list of fights being negotiated, rather than the Joshua-Fury undercard.

Pacquiao turns 48 on December 17. If the fight lands on December 18, Shakur would face him one day after his birthday. Pacquiao won his first world title in 1998, before Shakur turned two.

That age difference makes the matchup a hard sell as a competitive fight. If Shakur wins easily, how much credit does he get for beating a man nearly two decades older? If he boxes his way to a quiet decision, Pacquiao’s name may bring viewers to Netflix, but the fight may give them little reason to watch Shakur again.

Pacquiao’s fame can make this a major event. Turning it into a fight that helps Shakur is another matter. First, both men need to agree to terms; neither has received a bout agreement.

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BoxingNews24.com has delivered independent boxing coverage since 2007, including original news, fight analysis, schedules, and results. Our experienced boxing writers cover major fighters and events worldwide, with published content reviewed by editors for accuracy.

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Teofimo Lopez Set to Defend World Title on Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua Undercard – Boxing News

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"Teofimo Lopez Set to Defend World Title on Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua Undercard - Boxing News"

Teofimo Lopez has been offered a slot on the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua card, which is set to take place at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on December 11.

‘The Takeover’ comes off a majority decision victory over Rolando Romero, who he dethroned last month after surviving a genuine scare in round five.

In reality, though, it was a far more convincing win than the scorecards suggested and, despite suffering a one-sided defeat to Shakur Stevenson in January, Lopez proved that he remains a highly-skilled operator at world level.

But while he has expressed an interest in unification matches at 147lbs, particularly one against WBC champion Ryan Garcia, the 29-year-old must first make a mandatory defence and retain his WBA title.

He has, in other words, been ordered to face Jack Catterallwho claimed his WBA ‘Regular’ title by producing arguably a career-best performance to unanimously outpoint Shakhram Giyasov in May.

Lopez, meanwhile, had attempted to swerve his mandatory duty and, according to boxing journalist Dan Rafaelis considering vacating his welterweight belt in pursuit of more lucrative opportunities.

If he is to proceed with the Catterall fight, however, then the three-division world champion could end up featuring on the expected Fury-Joshua card later this year.

Equally, Catterall has taken to social media and acknowledged that, as the champion, Lopez can choose to defend his title on home soil.

“Hey mate [Lopez]you fancy scrapping on the [Fury-Joshua] card? If not don’t worry, I’ll come to America and get my belt. Either way I’ll see you soon champ.”

According to WBA president Gilberto Mendoza, both parties have until October 22 to reach an agreement or risk a purse bid hearing being called.

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