David Gavrushevich Avanesyan vs. Joshua Kelly & Robbie Davies Jnr vs. Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela RBR.

Avanesyan was WBA interim champion, and lost to Kavalauskis standing (TKO). Peterson was elite in his prime. Avanesyan seems to have grown stronger and better since his loss to Kavalauskis. I am not saying Avanesyan would beat any of the current champions, but he is a legit top 10 welter contender, in a very deep and talented division, stacked with experienced fighters around 30-33 years of age.

Kelly looked superb for the first three rounds, but halfway through round 4, the battery was empty, reflexes gone, and he could no longer fight with the style he has trained for. Leaning on the ropes and boxing on the inside isn't his thing. I am surprised about that everyone praising Kelly for his first 3-4 rounds don't seem to understand this was Avanesyan's game plan. Be patient, let Kelly box and perhaps showboat with hands down the first few rounds, and then start putting pressure on Kelly. Once Kelly becomes tired or hurt, swarm him and enforce a TKO/KO. Avanesyan did exactly the same against Lejarraga when he won the title. It seems to me like you guys haven't seen Avanesyan's recent fights, whereas you seem to think Kelly should the favourite based on passing the eye test against journeymen. Avanesyan is now good enough to beat most if not all eliminators between top 5 and top 10-12 in the welter division. Not saying that he will, but he is capable of that, including defeating Kavalauskis in a rematch. Against the top 5, he would probably lose to all, except for Ugas, where I think he has a winning chance. My guess is that Hearn will try to arrange for a WBA regular title fight for Avanesyan, and should he win that (more like and interim/eliminator fight), he could get a big payday against one of the elite fighters. Probably Crawford (who lacks opponents) or the WBA super champ (as mandatory).

Kelly should spend the next two years improving his defence and stamina, and power too, if possible. Win the British title, defend it once or twice, and then once again challenge for the European title against some who is a decent European champion, but not necessarily a world level gate keeper. It's not long ago since Sam Eggington for example, way younger than Kelly today, held this EBU welter belt. Then he could try to step up again to world level. As a minimum, 5-6 fights the next couple of years, then try again. In a couple of years time the division will look quite differently too. Josh Taylor has probably stepped up with Prograis, while Spence and Crawford are no longer in the division. Porter, Ugas, Thurman and other veterans will also be done as elite fighters, and at best act as gate keepers. Ennis perhaps has a belt, and then there are those talented eastern europeans or central asians, such as the 2016 Olympic gold winner. It's those guys Kelly should prepare for, when he is ready, and that might take a while. He is not at all ready yet for 12-rounders, leave alone 8 or 10 rounds, against top opposition.

 

Yeah I agree 100%. With his style and lack of ko power he has to have the stamina to keep moving for 12 rounds or he won’t be able to keep his opponent off him

 

Avenasyan is a lot better than people are giving him credit for!

Yes it proved that Kelly won’t go on to be an elite fighter and he probably won’t make it to world level but Avenasyan is decent and he will cause problems up there.

Kelly will still have some good entertaining fights and I don’t think the Benn fight is beyond him. Many said before this fight that it was a bit of a mismatch, it’s not. It will be a good entertaining fight.

 

I had TKO9 for Avanesyan in the prediction league. This result was no surprise at all to me.

It is clear that Kelly needs a trainer who will improve his inside fighting game, and teach him how to maximise his superb feet and win behind a jab.

The raw qualities are there to be much better than this. But he does need a new trainer. Booth has him fighting like David Haye when he has nowhere near the power David had. It’s insane.

Seeing raw qualities like he has go to waste like this is a shame. Booth is dining out on past glories.

 

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"I really hope Barry from Bognor-Regis enjoys this"

 

Fair play for what mate? Doing what they're there for & not shafting the guy? Very decent of them.

 

He is.

 

For beating an overhyped josh kelly? Behave

 

What a weekend of boxing:

MTK Card on Friday was more than decent, Eh Day provided a cracker last night on Sly Sports and topped off by a super fight last night on Premier Sports/Boxnation between Berchelt and Valdez.

No PPV Highwaymen on the streets robbing boxing fans either.

Long may it continue

 

oh right so now he’s overhyped

 

It was a tounge in cheek comment mate

 

Just goes to show you can make a good card in a pandemic without PPV, but it needs fighters being forced to swim with the sharks and test themselves against fighters that are of the same level and skill set. Not the usual crap we are getting served up on PPV, and not 1-50 on Matchrrom fighters propped up by Womens 'Super' fights that no one cares about.
Really enjoyed this weekends shows Lad and not needed to catch my supper lets hope it continues.

 

Didn’t catch the MTK show but Sky card and the Valdez card were brilliant.

 

I made the mistake of watching the Broner card (only because I've been following his career from the start) but I at least had the UFC card on my phone at the same time and got to witness a brutal KO from Lewis on Blaydes.

Broner card was dismal from start to finish. How Ryan Martin ever got an invite to the WBSS only God knows. Wallin looked relatively decent but Breazeale was the epitome of a heavyweight pudding. And then Broner. Not much more needs to be said.