Featherweight title contender, Michael Conlan, has encouraged a fight between Conor Benn and Josh Kelly.
Both Conlan and Kelly train under Adam Booth and with Benn rumoured to be returning to the ring in the near future, Conlan has called for him to fight his stablemate.
Kelly was one of the country’s hottest prospects, going unbeaten in his first eleven fights and dazzling fans with his defensive skills and natural evasiveness.
However, in 2021, Kelly suffered a brutal first defeat of his career, as he was mauled by European champion, David Avanesyan, before the referee put an end to the fight in the sixth round.
Since then, Kelly has moved up to super-welterweight, where has won each of his three fights, including a British title win against Troy Williamson.
It remains to be seen if Benn will return to fight at welterweight, or consider moving up to the 154lb scene, after preparing to fight Chris Eubank at 157lb’s in October.
In an interview with iFL TV, Conlan admitted that he would love to see Josh Kelly get the Conor Benn fight and fancied the British champion’s chances.
“Definitely. I would love to see it. I would love to see Josh get his chance to take him [Benn] to school.
In my opinion, if he has failed a drugs test, he probably shouldn’t box again.”
The London 2012 bronze medallist went on to propose that stricter bans should be enforced for positive drugs tests, after the drawn-out investigation into Conor Benn’s failed tests.
As for his own fight news, it appears that the Northern-Irishman will finally get this chance to fight for a world title, as he looks set to fight Luis Alberto Lopez.