Bakhram Murtazaliev has officially filed an appeal with the IBF following his points defeat against British challenger Josh Kelly, who took the WBA super welterweight world title from him. The basis of the complaint lies in judge Steve Gray’s decision to score the twelfth and final round of the fight as a 10–10 (even round), a choice described as “highly unusual” in the appeal submitted by the former world champion’s team.
In reality, Murtazaliev is not seeking to have the verdict overturned, but rather is requesting an immediate rematch that would give him the opportunity to try to regain the belt. The reasoning behind the appeal, however, appears somewhat shaky. While the regulations discourage the practice of scoring even rounds, they do not prohibit it, which means Gray’s decision must be considered legitimate.
Moreover, the disputed round was, truth be told, extremely close. Murtazaliev maintained the initiative for much of the three minutes, but the most significant and effective punches of the round were landed by Kelly. It is no coincidence that Steve Gray’s two fellow judges were split in their assessment of the round: Pawel Kardyni scored it for Murtazaliev, while John Basile gave it to Kelly.
The new champion, in any case, is already looking ahead to other possible challengers. Among them is the talented American Jaron Ennis, former welterweight world champion, who is currently involved in a long and exhausting negotiation with Vergil Ortiz Jr. Another name Kelly explicitly mentioned when speaking to the media is that of Conor Benn, fresh off his emphatic victory over Chris Eubank Jr.
According to Kelly, a domestic showdown between himself and Benn would generate massive media attention and draw a crowd large enough to fill a stadium. Conor, however, appears to be leaning toward different objectives. According to the latest rumors, the son of the legendary Nigel Benn seems intent on moving down to welterweight in an attempt to capture one of the world titles at the 147-pound limit.
Among his potential targets is Rolando Romero, the current WBA champion. The winner of the upcoming bout between Mario Barrios and Ryan Garcia, scheduled for late February, could also become a viable option. Benn is currently ranked number one in the WBC standings, which means he could be named mandatory challenger in the near future.