Josh Kelly’s calculated threat has paid off.
The Ring has discovered that Kelly (15-1-1, 8 knockouts) will now face countryman Ishmael Davis. Davis (13-0, 6 KOs) replaces Liam Smith (33-4-1, 20 KOs), who fell in poor health and was compelled to withdraw.
The bout will happen as a part of Riyadh Season’s UK launch this Saturday at Wembley Stadium in London.
Kelly is due a shot on the WBO junior middleweight title beforehand held by Smith. The 2016 Nice Britain Olympian was prepared to threat that standing simply to look on this present. Each battle on Saturday’s lineup are all-UK matchups.
That standing remained in place when Davis agreed to desert his already scheduled plans. The unbeaten 29-year-old from Leeds was as a result of face Uisma Lima (12-1, 9 KOs) on the Oct. 24 Jack Catterall-Regis Prograis DAZN present in Manchester. His schedule is now bumped up by six weeks, although Davis shall be correctly compensated for the concession.
Kelly has received 5 straight fights since a Feb. 2021 knockout loss to David Avanesyan.
Amongst his win streak is a typical opponent with Davis. Each maintain separate unanimous determination wins over Troy Williamson (20-3-1, 14 KOs). Kelly defeated an unbeaten model of the Darlington native in Dec. 2022. Davis topped Williamson in his most up-to-date outing on March 23 in Sheffield.
Kelly-Davis is considered one of six fights on a DAZN Pay-Per-View present. The occasion is headlined by IBF heavyweight titlist Daniel Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), who faces former two-time unified titleholder Anthony Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs).
Saturday will mark Kelly’s first battle since a Dec. 16 knockout win over Placido Ramirez (26-4, 19 KOs) in his Sunderland hometown. All 5 wins amongst his present streak have come since he moved up from welterweight after the loss to Avanesyan.
A win ought to arrange Kelly for a shot at unified WBC/WBO 154-pound titlist Sebastian Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs). The timing will depend upon how issues shake out within the ordered Sebastian Fundora-Terence Crawford title consolidation bout.
