The worrying thing for me about Kelly is that instead of choosing seasoned fighters who could give him some tough rounds but ultimately he’d come up trumps they’re looking at the likes of Conor Benn. It shows that the whole team a wary of something. The Benn fight does absolutely nothing for him other than boost his profile. Josh Kelly is headed down an Anthony Yarde path. Hasn’t really fought anyone and he’s 15 with the WBC and 11 with WBA. Another one or two fights and he’s going to be right up there when he’s clearly not ready. I’m not saying feed the lamb to the slaughter and put him in with someone who will destroy him but put him back in with Ray Robinson. A difficult fight and he will learn loads from it and it’s definitely winnable, Kelly would probably start as favourite. For his own career progression and development that’s the best option. **** Conor benn.
Complete sense there mate. It seems though they might be taking the well trodden least line of resistance to a belt.
Booth knows something about his fighter. Otherwise he would of thrown him into the deep end ages ago. There is something he knows that Kelly isn't the real deal OR not ready.
I just rewatched the kelly vs Ray Robinson fight. Definitely not ready to step up. Far too much showboating with hands down, landed flush time and time again but opponent still standing. He doesn’t do much, only enough to nip rounds Definitely needs work! Can see him giving fighters a lot of problems but if the power shots landing are not causing enough problems at this level then there are issues
I actually think if he cut the showboating out he'd be a far better fighter, it works against the journeymen but once you step up if you haven't got the defence or power you need to cut it out.
The "proposed " Conor Benn fight is a lose/lose fight for Kelly totally meaningless in terms of career advancement . He would be better off fighting the winner of the two youtube merchants. Kelly needs to get on track if he dreams of becoming a champion.
Lack of punch output and amount of posing he does is fine against low level opposition but lack of true power and the amount he gets tagged means he's nowhere near ready for the step up.
The biggest payday of his career, the most exposure of his career to date and what should be a fairly routine victory against a hype job that's become popular with the casuals, I'd say it's win win unless he does something stupid. The aren't many other people I can think of who he can fight and draw as much attention, sure, Garton or Jenkins would be decent domestic dust ups but Conor Benn attracts more attention and draws more money in than either of those two. Avaneseyan has just stopped Lejarraga again so I don't think it's a risk worth taking at this point when he can still bide his time with one or two of the names I'd mentioned. I wouldn't be surprised if he was offered the opportunity to batter the remains of Frankie Gavin or Bradley Skeete though.
