Overview
- The title fight is set for Saturday, Jan. 31, at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena and streams exclusively on DAZN for subscribers with coverage from 7 p.m. GMT and projected ring walks around 9:30 p.m.
- Murtazaliev enters 23-0 (17 KOs) for his second IBF defense, while Kelly is 17-1-1 (9 KOs) and riding seven straight wins since his 2021 defeat at welterweight.
- The champion has been inactive since October 2024, coming in off stoppage victories over Jack Culcay and Tim Tszyu.
- Kelly says he welcomes heavy punchers, labels the matchup “beauty and the beast,” and claims added power since moving up to 154 pounds.
- The undercard features Josh Padley vs. Jaouad Belmehdi for the vacant European super-featherweight title and Elif Nur Turhan vs. Taylah Gentzen for the IBF women’s lightweight crown.