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After Josh Kelly suffered a 2021 defeat against former WBA World Champion and current European welterweight champion David Avanesyan, the Brit looks set to return to the squared circle against Xhuljo Vrenozi on May 13 at the O2. In addition to Kelly's return, he will be competing in a new weight class at light middleweight. Vrenozi, 29, holds a record of 18-4 and will be a perfect matchup for Kelly in his first fight of the year.
During the press conference (via SecondsOut on YouTube), Josh Kelly said:
"I feel strong, I feel fit, I feel like this is the move for me and it's going to show on Friday. There's levels in this sport and I'm going to show where I'm at and where I belong. When that first bell goes, he'll be in deep water. He'll be swimming in deep water and it'll be too much."
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Kelly then added:
"I feel refreshed. [...] I'm enjoying it, I've got a smile on my face, I'm gonna perform on Friday and I'm gonna enjoy it, that's the main thing and it's gonna be a hard night's work for my opponent here"
Kalle Sauerland, Kelly's new promoter, said:
"We know what Josh brings, we know what the future lies ahead [for Josh] and there's big fights out there. We look at the likes of, domestically, Conor Benn and Florian Marku but really we don't look past Friday. I think every step is a step forward. [...] Right now it's just great to have Josh Kelly back in the ring."
You can watch the full press conference here via SecondsOut (YouTube):
What fights can Josh Kelly look at if he's victorious on Friday?
Josh Kelly is still a popular name amongst British boxing and if he wins convincingly on Friday, he could look to continue his journey by facing a few more interesting fighters.
The obvious name that surrounds Josh Kelly is Conor Benn, however, Kelly has now moved up a weight class and Benn looks to be targeting bigger names in the welterweight division. It's still a possible matchup but at the same time, it might be too soon to expect that fight.
Another option for Kelly could be Florian Marku, who Kelly's promoter Kalle Sauerland suggested in a recent press conference. The Albanian is an undefeated boxer who has held the IBF International Welterweight Title since September 2021.
Watch Marku's most recent victory against Chris Jenkins via Sky Sports Boxing here:
