Josh Kelly sat down with Boxing News for a discussion on his recent victory over Gabriel Corzo, his injuries, and his future aspirations.
“You’ve got to understand, my right hand was hurting during the fight,” Kelly explained. “Corzo was aiming for my face, trying to reopen my cut, which had pushed back this fight. It’s a balancing act – self-preservation while simultaneously trying to get him out there.”
Kelly noted he was up against some tough competition, having boxed three unbeaten fighters in his last three bouts.
“Every time I tried to go for the body, he’d put his head in my face. I didn’t want that cut to open. In the end, I decided to move, play around, use my skills. I put on a show, but I was careful not to overcommit because of my hands,” Kelly shared.
Future Projections: Big Fights, Big Names
“Big fights, big names, that’s what I want,” he confidently stated. “Now I’m ranked number one, it’s open season.”
With Charlo moving away to fight Canelo and not having fought in over two years, Kelly envisions opportunities for major matchups.
The possibility of Kelly squaring up against interim WBO champion Tim Tszyu came up during the chat.
“Yes, Tszyu is dangerous,” Kelly acknowledged. “But when I don’t want to be hit, I’m hard to hit. It would be a stylistic match-up, which I’m confident about.”
“Brook, Smith, Ben – I’m ready for any of them,” he asserted. “They’re my money fights, big domestic money fights. If they try and stick it on me, you’ll see the best version of me.”
The Corzo Confrontation
Recalling the Corzo fight, Kelly laughed about his in-ring banter.
“I was just letting him know he couldn’t touch me, couldn’t deal with me. He was dirty with the head, but I kept using that left hand and enjoying myself.”
On the subject of his injuries, Kelly was optimistic about a quick recovery.
“I’ll be in the gym, taking it easy. But I’ll also be on the phone trying to make these fights.”
“Cheers, everybody!” Kelly concluded with a smile.
