Kelly edges closer to Commonwealth title showdown
Kelly and Costello celebrate silver title success
RYAN Kelly, the Chelmsley Wood champ with a football club sized fanbase, is closing in on a full Commonwealth title shot.
It could even be next for the marauding middle who gained the Commonwealth silver belt by outpointing River Wilson-Bent in a pulsating battle in October.
He’s within touching distance of the big fight, that’s for sure. Kelly is now mandatory challenger – and champ Hamzah Sheeraz may well relinquish in the quest for much bigger things.
He fights Liam Williams next, is ranked in the WBC’s top five and is edging towards a world title fight. In the grand scheme of things, being king of the Commonwealth would appear to present Sheeraz with few benefits.
Kelly’s trainer John Costello said: “We want names, Ryan wants to be in title fights. We’d like to fight for the full Commonwealth and we’re watching to see what Sheeraz will do. I don’t know what benefit the Commonwealth belt is to him now.”
Costello believes the boxing public is yet to see the best of Kelly.
“I say what I mean,” he said, “and I say Ryan didn’t even perform at 70 per cent against River. He’s admitted that himself.
“I expected Ryan to really take over after four or five rounds. He was a bit lackadaisical in the seventh and got caught with a shot. He got caught with a right hand, re-grouped and came back.
“I don’t think there’s a middleweight in the Midlands who can beat Ryan. Yes, there are some very good middleweights in the country and in the Midlands, but I think Ryan’s the pick of them.”
That’s a typically bold and controversial statement from Costello. Stoke’s Nathan Heaney currently hold the Lonsdale Belt.
Costello added: “Ryan said to me, ‘I’m 29, I’ve had 22 fights, but I really believe I’m just getting started’. That’s exactly how I see it – he was playing with the game before.
“I believe he can be British champion and challenge for an awful lot more, but he has to keep progressing and keep busy.
“We need title fights for Ryan now.”