Boxing
Murtazaliev fights Kelly – not a fight he deserves
Published
5 months agoon
An agreement was concluded between IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev and Josh Kelly for a fight that will take place on January 31, 2026 in England. Tuesday’s tender offer was reportedly canceled after an agreement was reached for Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing to promote the event.
Dan Rafael broke this story earlier today. #3 IBF Kelly (17-1-1, 9 KO) will have his first title fight after eight years in the professional ranks. It’s a elevated order for him as he lacks power and only has the advantage once, when he fought power puncher David Avanesyan in a sixth-round knockout loss on February 20, 2021.
Murtazalieva’s year-long wait is coming to an end
Bakhram (23-0, 17 KO) finally fought after sitting on the sidelines for a solid 12 months on October 19, 2024, after scoring a career-best third-round knockout victory over Tim Tszyu.
Russian-born Murtazaliev, 32, of Grozny, was hoping to build on his upset victory over former WBO 154-pound champion Tszyu in huge fights. Top contenders and junior middleweight champions treated him like a leper. None of them showed any interest in fighting him.
Will Kelly step down as champion?
Kelly (31) is the best player Murtazaliev’s team could have produced, and he is obviously far from the top he would prefer to fight. If Bakhram looks impressive beating Josh on January 31, 2026, perhaps some of the reluctant top fighters will show interest in fighting him if he doesn’t scare them or their promoters away.
BREAKING: According to a source, a fight deal was struck on Monday night between IBF 154 champion Bakhram Murtazaliev and mandatory challenger Josh Kelly, with Tuesday’s deal canceled. The fight was to take place on January 31 at the TBA facility in England. Matchroom Boxing will promote the fight. #box
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) October 28, 2025
2016 Olympian Kelly has won his last seven fights since losing to Avanesyan in 2021. However, Kelly’s opponent has been anything but sensational. Of the seven, the standout is Ishmael Davis, who has lost three of his last four fights. This shows the level of opposition Kelly has been up against since his loss to Avanesyan.
Social media predicts massacre
Fans on social media ridiculed the Murtazaliev-Kelly fight, describing it as a massacre waiting to happen. They are not giving Kelly a chance to beat Bakhram, predicting an early knockout.
Last update: 28/10/2025
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Boxing
Bill Haney hints at Devin Haney rematch with Ryan Garcia in Vegas
Published
1 hour agoon
March 13, 2026
The Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia rematch is headed to Las Vegas. On Thursday, Bill Haney, during a conversation with X, suggested that Allegiant Stadium would be the leading option for hosting the Sept. 5 event.
Promoters are still finalizing the business side of the deal, but Bill said fighters often sign their part before everything else is completed. “The fighters sign their contract well before the promoters finalize the terms,” he wrote, adding that Devin was already training.
The message suggests that Devin has already committed to the rematch, while the venue and broadcast details are still being finalized. Their first fight resulted in one of the most essential nights in boxing in recent years, and despite Ryan’s defeat against Rolando Romero in May 2025, interest in the second meeting of both rivals remains high.
The April 2024 fight caused drama in the ring and huge interest outside it. Garcia knocked down Haney multiple times and won by decision that immediately sparked talks of a second meeting. Fans debated the outcome for months, and the rivalry never cooled down.
Allegiant Stadium has quickly become one of Las Vegas’ favorite boxing locations for huge events. The facility can accommodate more than 60,000 fans and provides the type of revenue for promoters that makes a competition of this size worth staging in a stadium rather than a customary arena.
The September gala would give both fighters enough time to properly prepare after intense periods in their careers. Devin returned to the ring following his loss to Ryan and remains one of the most recognizable names in the division, while Garcia continues to attract huge attention whenever he fights.
Moving the rematch to Allegiant Stadium would allow promoters to host an event on a much larger scale than their first meeting. For Devin, the second fight is a chance to wrap up unfinished business and regain his spot at the top of the division. The signal from Haney’s camp is clear: Devin is ready and the promoters need to complete the deal.
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fight landscape. His reports focus on the most essential fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
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Last update: 2026/03/12 at 23:55
Boxing
14-0 100% KO Artist Thomas Narmo talks honestly about his heavyweight career
Published
3 hours agoon
March 13, 2026
A heavyweight with fourteen wins and fourteen knockouts would normally be talking about world titles. Instead, one of the undefeated boxers is much more sincere about his explosive start.
Thomas Narmo has stopped every opponent he has faced to date, establishing a perfect record of fourteen wins and fourteen knockouts.
As previously reported by World Boxing News, “The Last Viking” got through these opponents in a total of just twenty-six rounds.
But despite the eye-catching numbers, Narmo admits the statistics don’t tell the whole story yet.
“I don’t really pay too much attention to it,” Narmo told World Boxing News. “I haven’t faced a real challenge yet. My last three opponents did decently, so I’m glad I managed to hold them off.
“I started boxing overdue in life, so unfortunately I didn’t gain much ring experience from my previous fights.”
Learning on the job
This level of honesty is unusual in boxing, where undefeated prospects are often promoted as future champions long before a stern opponent.
Narmo didn’t start boxing seriously until he was in his 20s, after previously competing in mixed martial arts, which left him with significantly less experience in the ring than many heavyweights climbing the professional ladder.
Still, its destructive beginning is demanding to ignore. Fourteen knockouts in fourteen wins is scarce at any level, even if most of those fights came against humble opposition in European rings.
For now, the power puncher says he’s simply focused on getting ready for the right opportunity.
“I’ve been trying to stay in shape and I hope someone will call me and ask,” he explained.
“If not, I’ll have to continue what I’ve been doing a little longer. My time will come, of which I’m quite sure.”
Puncher’s Chance
The heavyweight division remains the only weight class where a single punch can instantly change everything. Narmo believes that momentum means he can never be passed up if the right opportunity arises.
“There is always a chance of a punch. Anything can happen in the heavyweight division,” he said.
“I’m not a technical boxer with a lot of experience. I just try to stay fit and be ready to hurt people.”
He also understands that without the support of a enormous promotional company, reaching the elite level may not be effortless.
“It’s not effortless to get to the top without a great promoter behind you,” he added.
“If I can have a good career, win some minor titles and serve as a gatekeeper for an elite company, I don’t think it’s too bad for someone who started training in his 20s.”
For now, the undefeated heavyweight is simply waiting for another opportunity to present himself.
“I hope the fight will take place in overdue March or early April,” he said.
“There will be a lot of gigantic heavyweight fights in the next few weeks and you never know if something will happen to one of them. I’m ready to go if the opportunity arises.”
Whether the opportunity comes sooner or later, Narmo’s brutally sincere vision of his own career suggests that “The Last Viking” realizes that his toughest trials may yet lie ahead.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
Boxing
Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez will fight for the same opponent
Published
3 hours agoon
March 13, 2026
Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez have been linked to each other for many years, but now they could fight the same potential opponent.
Benavidez has been chasing a fight with Alvarez for some time. After a failed landing, he moved up to 175 pounds, where he became the WBC light heavyweight champion.
He now heads up to cruiserweight to face unified champion Gilberto Ramirez in May, with Canelo set to return in September as he looks to bounce back from losing the undisputed 168-pound crown to Terence Crawford last year.
If both men win their upcoming fights, Dmitry Bivol is apparently in line. Dan Rafael reported this this week that the Russian’s manager, Vadim Kornilov, mentioned the duo as targets.
“For manager Bivol [Kornilov] for me, in terms of what Dmitry would want: mandatory Michael in the IBF [Eifert] this spring (agreed, Usyk ticket on May 23), then Beterbiev 3 [and] then either Canelo 2, Benavidez or the cruiserweight champion.”
Canelo has a history with Bivol – the current WBA, IBF and WBO lithe heavyweight champion – who suffered a unanimous decision loss to the Russian in May 2022 and a rematch has been touted at various times since then. The Mexican has said in the past that this is the only 175-pound fight that interests him.
Benavidez also openly called for the fight, interested both in fighting the best in the world and in the chance to become undisputed in the lithe heavyweight division. Boxing fans are still unlikely to see Canelo and Benavidez fight in the ring, but they could witness an intriguing battle at the negotiating table.
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