Josh Kelly retained his IBF junior middleweight title with a unanimous factors win over Irish challenger Caoimhin Agyarko in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Kelly got here via a decent end to win 114-113, 115-112, 115-112 on the judges’ scorecards.
After the bout, Kelly mentioned he wants to face unified 154-pound champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis.
“I want it next. People will be smiling looking at that saying: ‘What’s he talking about?’ … That’s a tricky night for anyone [against Agyarko],” Kelly mentioned.
“I want the big names in the division. I’ve already taken out one name in Bakhram Murtazaliev … let me get the other ones. I’m here man. I’m a champion. I’m IBF [champion] and I’ve just defended.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn, who represents each Kelly and Ennis, mentioned a conflict between the 2 within the United States is now an actual possibility.
“He’s had a defence of the title and before that mandatory comes again, really you want to be looking at those big money fights and trying to roll the dice,” Hearn mentioned.
“I think that comes with ‘Boots’ Ennis. If I’m Josh Kelly I’m looking at the big payday out in America against ‘Boots’ Ennis. It’s a three-belt unification fight. [WBC champion] Sebastian Fundora, all those guys.”
Kelly will seemingly want a while off after a scrappy bout through which he suffered a major minimize on his nostril.
After a sluggish begin, the battle opened up in Round 5 as Kelly got here out swinging however Agyarko, the unbeaten challenger, did not again down and grew into the competition himself. However, he did not have the output wanted to disrupt Kelly.
Kelly, who regarded comfy within the first half of the battle, wavered barely within the center rounds and had some extent taken off in Round 6 for repeatedly punching the again of Agyarko’s head.
That appeared to spur Agyarko on as he landed higher mixtures and tried to take the battle to Kelly.
Kelly’s output dropped and he was minimize beneath each eyes and on the nostril by the top of Round 9.
However, Kelly discovered his rhythm within the next, working the physique extra and touchdown a powerful uppercut to remind his opponent who the champion was. Kelly backed it as much as begin Round 11 as he focused the uppercut once more, however he could not pin Agyarko down as a lot as he would have favored.
By this level, blood was pouring from a big minimize on Kelly’s nostril, however he stored strolling ahead, decided to complete sturdy towards an equally sport Agyarko.
