British super-welterweight Josh Kelly (13-1-1, 7 KOs) defends his WBO International title against unbeaten Gabriel Corzo (18-0, 3 KOs) at the Vertu Motor Arena, Newcastle, England.
This bout is part of Kelly’s continued resurgence following his unexpected derailment by David Avanesyan in 2021. The British boxer delivered an impressive 12-round decimation of Troy Williamson for the British title in December 2022, a victory that secured him the No.2 spot in the WBO rankings. His current standing is expected to rise to No.1 once the current front-runner, Bakhram Murtazaliev, steps into the ring for his IBF title shot.
Corzo, hailing from Argentina (18-0, 3 KOs), may be a puzzle for some, with his No.9 ranking with the WBO amidst his history of facing subpar opponents since his career inception. His standing at 205th in the division, according to BoxRec, raises questions about the ranking system’s objectivity and casts an unfavorable light on his track record.
Both boxers are exuding confidence leading up to the showdown. Kelly stated, “A win over Corzo on June 24 in Newcastle will put me within touching distance of a shot at the world title...Corzo is ranked ninth in the world and is a good fighter, but I am going to deliver a display that makes the rest of the division sit up and take note. You don’t want to miss this one.” On the other hand, Corzo responded assertively, “Make no mistake, on June 24 in Newcastle, Josh Kelly’s world title dream ends and mine gets closer to being a reality...I hope Kelly’s fans are prepared for the upset that is coming.”
In the co-main event, Liam Dillon (12-0-1, 3 KOs) and Qais Ashfaq (12-1, 5 KOs) are set to contend for the vacant super featherweight title. Dillon, an undefeated Londoner, fresh off a significant victory over Joshua Wahab, aims to defy expectations once more as he faces Ashfaq, a former Olympian. Ashfaq, a favorite from Leeds and a former Team GB member with international medals and Rio 2016 participation to his name, seeks to continue his comeback trail following a surprising defeat in 2020.
Fight card:
▪️Josh Kelly vs. Gabriel Corzo, 12 rounds, for the WBO International Super Welterweight title ▪️Steve Robinson vs. Franklin Ignatius, 8 rounds, heavyweight ▪️Codie Smith vs. Francisco Rodriguez, 4 rounds, featherweight ▪️Liam Dillon vs. Qais Ashfaq, 12 rounds, for the vacant British Super Featherweight title ▪️Ben Marksby vs. Ricardo Fernandez, 6 rounds, junior welterweight ▪️Chloe Watson vs. Belen Valdebenito, 8 rounds, female flyweight ▪️Troy Williamson vs Ramiro Blanco, 6 rounds, super welterweight ▪️Samuel Antwi vs Ruben Angulo, 6 rounds, super welterweight ▪️Tom Summerbell vs Dimitri Protkanus, 4 rounds, super welterweight ▪️Kai Richmond vs Karl Sampson, 4 rounds, super featherweight ▪️Owen Rees vs Marvis Istrate, 4 rounds, super lightweight ▪️Oliver Zaren vs Jay Byrne, 4 rounds, super middleweight
