Bakhram Murtazaliev vs Josh Kelly – Fight Date, Location and Ring Walks

The IBF World Super Welterweight Championship will take place on 31 January 2026 in Newcastle, UK, where unbeaten champion Bakhram Murtazaliev defends his title against British standout Josh Kelly.

The fighters are expected to make their ring walks at approximately 11:00 PM local time, which corresponds to 11:00 PM UK time and 6:00 PM ET. These times are estimates and may shift slightly depending on the earlier bouts. To ensure you never miss a ring walk again, make sure to download the Ringwalks app for accurate, real-time ring walk notifications.

Murtazaliev arrives with a flawless record of 23 wins and 0 losses, including 17 knockouts. Standing 5′11½″ (182 cm) with a 74″ (188 cm) reach, the Russian champion combines sharp technical boxing with dangerous finishing ability. His most recent performance was a dominant third-round TKO over Tim Tszyu, a victory that elevated his profile significantly in the division.

Josh Kelly enters this world title opportunity with a professional record of 17 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw, boasting 9 knockout victories. The British contender stands 5′10″ (178 cm) with a 72″ (183 cm) reach and is known for his slick movement, sharp counterpunching and composed ring IQ. Kelly is coming off an explosive first-round knockout of Flavius Biea, giving him strong momentum heading into the biggest fight of his career.

With an undefeated champion defending his belt against one of the UK’s most stylish and dangerous super welterweights, Murtazaliev vs Kelly promises a high-level, technical and compelling world title clash.