BBBofC Orders Troy Williamson v Josh Kelly, But is it Too Soon?
The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) has dropped the latest news on the roster of their British champions for July. One of the fights ordered by BBBofC is a contest for the British junior middleweight champion title. Champion Troy “Trojan” Williamson (18-0-1, 13 KOs) must next defend the title against Josh “Pretty Boy” Kelly (11-1-1, 7 KOs).
Williamson won the title with a tenth-round TKO over Ted Cheeseman in October 2021. His first defense came in his last outing in March 2022. After getting knocked down in round two, the 30-year-old rallied for a hard-earned victory over the tough Mason Cartwright.
This order comes as Kelly is set to fight Lucas Brian Ariel Bastida on July 16. At one time, Kelly was hailed as of Britain’s most promising prospects. Blessed with speed and athleticism, the 28-year-old is a fighter of physical ability.
But that promise came to a screeching halt when he stepped into the ring to face David Avanesyan in February 2021. Kelly was cut and knocked down twice before getting stopped in the sixth round. It was a disastrous performance. Returning to the ring on June 17, Kelly scored a fourth-round TKO over Peter Kramer.
THE LIKELIHOOD OF IT HAPPENING
An August 10 purse bid has been set for Williamson – Kelly by the BBBofC. The world-ranked Williamson (7th WBO, 9th IBF, 10th WBA) would be eager for it to happen as Kelly was so highly-touted and has a decent profile in England. But, would Team Kelly put their charge in the ring against someone who has the reputation of being durable and a big-puncher?
Kelly is still in rebuild mode following the loss to Avansyan. Some UK pundits feel he’s still in a vulnerable state, from a mental standpoint, and needs a few more fights to build confidence before facing the likes of Williamson. So, despite the order for Williamson – Kelly, there’s a question of whether the contest takes place in the immediate future
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By: Michael Wilson Jr.
