Josh Kelly now has two clear routes to a 154lbs world title. Days after the IBF ordered its champion Bakhram Murtazaliev to face Kelly - who sits at No. 3 with the IBF while Erickson Lubin chases Vergil Ortiz Jr. and the IBF’s No. 2 remains vacant - the WBO’s latest update (Aug. 21) elevated the Sunderland slickster to No. 1, positioning him as the leading contender for Xander Zayas’s belt.
The WBO reshuffle followed Zayas’s July win over Jorge Garcia Perez for the vacant title; Perez slid to No. 10, clearing Kelly’s path to top spot. It means the 31-year-old Olympian can either push the IBF mandate or await WBO orders for a mandatory crack at Zayas.
Watch Kelly vs. Davis highlights: Watch
Form-wise, Kelly is riding seven straight wins since his 2021 stoppage loss to David Avanesyan, including a wide decision over then-undefeated Troy Williamson at 154 and a first-round KO of Flavius Biea in June. He also edged unbeaten late-sub Ishmael Davis by majority decision in 2024 when a bout with Liam Smith fell through.
One wrinkle: Kelly hasn’t actually scaled the 154lbs limit since December 2023, boxing at middleweight for Davis and just under 157lbs for Biea. With twin title avenues now open, dialing his weight back to championship junior middle could prove as pivotal as the paperwork.
Image Credit: Sky Sports