A Reign Ended, But the Fight for Justice Isn't Over!
Bakhram Murtazaliev and his team are making a strong push for a second chance after his reign as the IBF 154lbs champion came to a close. In a move that's stirred discussion in the boxing world, representatives for the recently dethroned fighter have officially petitioned the International Boxing Federation (IBF) for an immediate rematch against the man who took his title, Josh Kelly.
This request comes just four days after Kelly secured a majority decision victory over the previously undefeated Murtazaliev on January 31st in Newcastle, England. The scorecards, which read 115-111 and 114-113 in favor of Kelly, with one judge scoring it a 113-113 draw, largely mirrored the general sentiment of the fight – few observers felt Murtazaliev had done enough to earn the win. However, the crux of Murtazaliev's team's grievance lies with a specific scoring decision: judge Steve Gray's 10-10 score for the 12th and final round. They argue that if this round had been scored a 10-9 in Murtazaliev's favor, it would have resulted in a draw, allowing him to retain his IBF 154lbs title.
While a formal protest of the fight's outcome is not on the table, Murtazaliev's camp is now pursuing what they believe is a more achievable path to reclaiming the belt.
An IBF spokesperson confirmed to BoxingScene, "They requested that we order an immediate rematch under IBF Rule 5K." This news was initially brought to light by Dan Rafael, the founder of Fight Freaks Unite.
For those curious about the specifics, IBF Rule 5.K, which deals with rematches, empowers the Championships Chairman and the President to, at their discretion, direct two contestants to engage in a championship rematch within a specified timeframe.
So, a second encounter isn't entirely out of the realm of possibility. It's worth noting that Kelly, with a record of 18 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw (9 KOs), was the mandatory challenger entering the bout, as Murtazaliev, holding a record of 23 wins and 1 loss (17 KOs), was overdue for his mandatory defense. This means Kelly would be in the voluntary defense phase for his first title defense, potentially opening doors for other matchups.
But here's where it gets controversial... Matchroom Boxing, the promoters of the event, have indicated that Kelly was already slated to face WBA interim titleholder Jaron “Boots” Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs). This highly anticipated bout was reportedly being positioned as a backup plan if Ennis couldn't secure a showdown with Vergil Ortiz Jr. (24-0, 22 KOs).
For now, Kelly will have to wait for the IBF's decision on this petition.
The argument presented by Murtazaliev and his promoter, Main Events, regarding the scoring of 10-10 rounds is understandable. Judges are generally discouraged from scoring rounds evenly, especially in North American title fights. However, such scores, while infrequent, are more common in bouts held in other countries.
Furthermore, the fact that Gray's 10-10 score was an outlier compared to the other judges' tallies somewhat weakens their case. Judge John Basile (115-111 Kelly) scored the final round 10-9 for Kelly, contributing to his final score. Interestingly, Poland’s Pawel Kardyni (113-113) was the only judge to score the fight a draw, giving the final round to Murtazaliev 10-9.
And this is the part most people miss... Judge Gray was also the sole official to award the 11th round to Murtazaliev.
This fight marked Murtazaliev's return to the ring after his dominant October 2024 performance where he stopped former WBO 154lbs champion Tim Tszyu in the third round, flooring him four times. This was his first and only successful defense of the title he had won earlier that year in April against Jack Culcay.
Given the shifts in boxing promotions, Murtazaliev's journey to contender and champion status has largely taken place on shows promoted by others. After a significant title elimination win in November 2019, he spent three years on the undercards of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) events. While he and Main Events were compensated for stepping aside, he never received a shot at the undisputed champion Jermell Charlo.
Instead, Murtazaliev had to wait for Charlo to vacate the title before getting his opportunity. His bout against Jack Culcay was ultimately staged by AGON Sports after a purse bid, forcing Murtazaliev, a devout Muslim, to train and fight during the Holy Ramadan season.
While he managed two fights in 2024, his 2025 campaign has been met with disappointment. He was reportedly led on by mandatory challenger Erickson Lubin's team, only for Lubin to eventually face Vergil Ortiz Jr. The IBF then promptly appointed Kelly as the de facto mandatory challenger, a situation that took an extended period to resolve before an agreement was reached for this fight.
There's a strong argument to be made that Murtazaliev has faced significant setbacks in the sport over the past few years. Ironically, the claim that he was wronged in the UK last weekend might be the least substantiated of these grievances.
What do you think? Was the scoring fair, or does Murtazaliev have a legitimate claim for a rematch? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
