Josh Kelly is set to defend his IBF light-middleweight title against Caoimhin Agyarko in a bout scheduled for Saturday in Saudi Arabia. The fight will take place on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s matchup with Kristian Prenga at the Jeddah Superdome.
Kelly captured the belt in January by defeating Bakhram Murtazaliev and has described the significance of achieving championship status as invaluable. In interviews, he emphasized that becoming champion has produced a notable psychological shift in his approach to competition, with those close to him observing changes in his training demeanor and overall mindset. Kelly indicated that obtaining the title has paradoxically reduced pressure by allowing him to compete with greater freedom and confidence.
Agyarko, based in Belfast, was originally scheduled to face Brandon Adams in an April final eliminator bout, but Adams collapsed before the weigh-in and could not proceed with the fight. Rather than organizing an alternative final eliminator, the IBF permitted Kelly to exercise a voluntary first defence option. This led to negotiations that resulted in the current matchup between Kelly and Agyarko.
Kelly’s recent record includes eight consecutive victories, with the Murtazaliev triumph being his most significant accomplishment. His only career loss came against David Avanesyan in 2021. Agyarko most recently competed in December, securing a split-decision victory over Ishmael Davis. Kelly stated he maintains focus on the upcoming bout and characterized his current position as particularly dangerous for opponents, noting he has no external pressures affecting his performance. He pledged to deliver what he termed a “spiteful” display in the ring.
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