Troy Williamson or Josh Kelly: Who Wins the Battle of British Contenders?
A key battle of British junior middleweight takes place on December 2 as Josh Kelly (12-1-1 7 KOs)
will battle Troy Williamson (19-0-1, 14 KOs) at Newcastle Arena in Newcastle, England. The twelve-round bout is scheduled to occur at 2 PM EST.
TIME TO SHOW AND PROVE
At the beginning of his career, Kelly was highly-touted. That changed following a fourth-round TKO
loss to David Avanesyan February 2021. In that defeat, it was stunning how Kelly fell apart mentally and physically against the pressure of Avanesyan.
From a physical standpoint, Kelly seems to have loads of talent. Ranked #11 by the WBO, he is a talented
switch-hitter who moves effortlessly around the ring and has power in both hands. If he stands and fights with Williamson, it will be to his detriment. Making this a slow, methodical contest serves him best. He has the talent and ability to outbox Williamson. However, his mental make-up will need to be strong to defeat a Williamson who is renowned for his ability to endure and take punishment. The 31-year-old is physically very strong for the division and carries plenty of power. His modus operandi is to charge forward behind the jab, get inside and punish opponents with power punches to the head and body. Kelly is also a fighter who is a slow starter.
It takes a while for Williamson to get warmed up in fights. As a result, he can be hurt early. That was evident in his last fight, a hard-fought decision win over Mason Cartwright in March 2022. That night, Williamson was knocked down in round two before rallying to win.
To beat Kelly, Williamson has to get things going in a hurry and put the pressure on him. Since Kelly
has the faster feet, it’s imperative that Williamson finds a way to effectively cut the ring off. The longer and more physical the fight, the better it suits Williamson, who ranks #6 with the WBO and #8 with the IBF at 154.
THE PREDICTION
Kelly is faster, more elusive, and more naturally gifted, but Williamson looks to be tougher. Kelly
will have his moments and may even buzz his adversary in the early rounds. But, Williamson will come on strong. There are questions if Kelly has that dog in him to fight hard for an extended time. As a result, Williamson wins this by late-round stoppage
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
