Josh Kelly Targets Jaron Ennis After Grueling Title Defense

Kelly called for a unification fight, while Eddie Hearn backed the matchup despite the champion leaving the ring badly marked after 12 punishing rounds.

Josh Kelly wants Jaron “Boots” Ennis next, but first he has to recover from the toughest night of his title reign. The IBF champion absorbed heavy punishment against Caoimhin Agyarko, leaving any immediate move toward a unification fight in doubt.

“I want it next. People will be smiling looking at that saying: ‘What’s he talking about?’ That’s a tricky night for anyone. I want the big names in the division. I’ve already taken out one name in Bakhram Murtazaliev. Let me get the other ones. I’m here, man. I’m a champion,” Kelly said after the fight.

Kelly also thanked supporters on Instagram before saying he would “rest up, heal up and look to get a big one next.”

His ambition is understandable. Ennis owns the WBA and WBO titles at 154 pounds, making a unification bout one of the biggest opportunities in the division. Eddie Hearn also backed the idea after the fight, pointing toward a possible event in the United States later this year.

The bigger issue is recovery.

Kelly didn’t leave the ring looking like someone ready to begin another training camp. Agyarko landed plenty of hard punches throughout the contest, and Kelly’s injuries weren’t limited to accidental head clashes. He also complained afterward that the referee allowed too much roughhouse work, describing stretches of the contest as feeling like “an MMA fight.”

That criticism comes with some irony. Kelly repeatedly landed rabbit punches during the fight and eventually had a point deducted for hitting behind Agyarko’s head. Both fighters contributed to the physical nature of the contest.

Kelly has made it clear he wants Ennis next. The bigger question is how long it will take for the damage from the Agyarko fight to heal before he can begin preparing for a unification bout.