Britain’s Josh Kelly outpointed Bakhram Murtazaliev to win the IBF light-middleweight title in Newcastle.
The Sunderland fighter was floored within the ninth spherical by Russian Murtazaliev with two additional stumbles late on dominated as slips by the referee.
Kelly – who had knocked his opponent off his ft within the fourth spherical – took victory with one decide marking the bout 115-111 in his favour and one other grading it 114-113, with the third calling it a 113-113 draw.
The 31-year-old is Sunderland’s first world champion, and informed BBC Radio 5 Reside afterwards: “It feels like a dream. I envisioned this.
“I needed to focus – I really feel overwhelmed. I have to take a second backstage to collect myself. I am mentally exhausted.”
Kelly’s eighth straight win since a primary skilled defeat to David Avanesyan in February 2021 takes the variety of present male British world champions to 6.
Kelly joins compatriots Fabio Wardley (heavyweight), Lewis Crocker (welterweight), Jazza Dickens (super-featherweight), Nick Ball (featherweight) and Dalton Smith (super-lightweight) in holding gold.
‘Fairly Boy’, who’s skilled by Adam Sales space, despatched Murtazaliev crashing to the mat within the fourth spherical with a vicious left hand and winked as his rival clambered to his ft.
Knockout specialist Murtazaliev – whose defeat was his first in 23 bouts – dished out a venomous left hand of his personal to topple Kelly within the ninth spherical however was outmanoeuvred by the house boxer.
