Bloodied Kelly battles past Agyarko to retain title
Josh Kelly survived a spirited late comeback from Caoimhin Agyarko and a point deduction to retain his IBF light-middleweight world title by narrow points decision in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
A Gritty Defense
Briton Josh Kelly (31) made a successful first defense of his IBF light-middleweight title on Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, overcoming a point deduction and a bloody nose to beat Belfast's Caoimhin Agyarko (29) via split decision. The judges scored it 114-113, 115-112 and 115-112.
Kelly started confidently, dropping his hands, smiling and talking to Agyarko as he controlled the early rounds. By the second, Agyarko was already showing swelling under his right eye. Kelly, who won the title in January against Bakhram Murtazaliev, seemed in complete control until the sixth round, when he was deducted a point for repeated punches to the back of the head.
The complexion changed: Agyarko grew in confidence, landing left hooks. A head clash in the ninth opened a cut on Kelly's nose. "He doesn't want it," Agyarko's corner shouted in the 10th, but Kelly responded with sharp uppercuts. The final two rounds were tense, with Kelly landing the cleaner work and catching Agyarko with a double left hook in the 12th.
"That was a messy and hard fight," Kelly said. "I didn't get cuts from punches like this, it comes from heads and elbows. [...] I had to show a different side to me at the end and that is what a champion does."
Sheeraz Labours to Win
On the same card, WBO super-middleweight champion Hamzah Sheeraz (27) struggled to an underwhelming points win over Simon Zachenhuber (28). Sheeraz controlled the early rounds with body shots but failed to find his rhythm against the German's southpaw stance. Despite winning most rounds, he could not finish Zachenhuber. One judge scored a draw, but the majority gave Sheeraz the win: 114-114, 115-113, 116-112.
Looking Ahead
Kelly now eyes a unification fight against Jaron 'Boots' Ennis, the unbeaten American two-weight champion. "I want it next," Kelly said. Sheeraz remains in contention for a lucrative bout against Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, who must first beat Christian Mbilli in October for the WBC belt.
