The game is better for Kelly’s ring return

Kelly…can still make his mark

IT’S good to have Ryan Kelly back in the ring after over a year’s absence.

The marauding Chelmsley Wood middle – a man who enjoys big support – makes his return on BCB’s Eastside Rooms bill this Saturday. At the time of writing, an opponent has not been named.

The local game has missed the now 29-year-old. Other boxers who amass big records are later found to have feet of clay. Kelly, trained by John Costello, has proved himself to be the real deal.

His losses have come against very good men. And Michael McKinson, who went on to establish himself at world level, outpointed “Ruthless” at welter.

Making 10-and-a-half stone must have been an uncomfortable experience for the Birmingham lad.

Other setbacks have explanations, not excuses. He made a quick return to Britain while working in Dubai to face Hamzah Sheeraz. Kelly was chronically under-prepared for the meeting with one of the domestic game’s biggest punchers and lost in six. His last outing – a split decision defeat to highly touted Brad Pauls – looked an injustice.

In fact, it’s fair to conclude the only man to legitimately beat Kelly – no ifs, buts or maybes – was Adam Harper for the Midlands light-middle belt back in 2017. Ryan would later take the title by overwhelming Owen Jobburn in seven.

I’ll make no bones about it, I’m an unashamed Kelly fan. He’s aggressive, bangs hard, unleashes impressive clusters and has very good movement. He makes for exciting contests.

He can still make a significant mark, although I’m sometimes left wondering if Ryan possesses the same unwavering belief in his ability as I do.

Since returning from Dubai, Kelly’s progress has been hampered by injury. He also has a young family and it’s harder for a boxer with such commitment to show the selfishness and single-mindedness needed for glory: not impossible, but harder.

Boxers’ wives have to be very understanding.

Kelly is a force, make no mistake. He’s been tried and tested.

And the division is opening up for him.

How about this for a dream fight…Ryan Kelly v River Wilson-Bent for the vacant English title. Now that’s what I call a blockbuster.

As the man himself said in a previous interview: “I was 29 in January, I’m coming towards the later part of my career and I’ve got to get some sort of title around my waist in 2023. There’s no reason why that shouldn’t happen. “

Kelly is back – and the excitement surrounding fight nights in Birmingham has been cranked-up quite a few notches.