Josh Kelly: Conor Benn 'not on my level' but super-welterweight world championship fight can happen at Stadium of Light
Josh Kelly became Sunderland's first ever boxing world champion when he beat Bakhram Murtazaliev to win the IBF super-welterweight title; Kelly wants to bring a major fight to the Stadium of Light in his hometown; he's open to boxing Conor Benn but warns "he's not on my level"
Wednesday 11 February 2026 15:17, UK
Josh Kelly does not consider Conor Benn a worthy challenger for his newly won world championship, but would accept that fight at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland.
Kelly dethroned Bakhram Murtazaliev to win the IBF super-welterweight title and become the first boxing world champion from Sunderland.
He now wants to bring a major fight to the Stadium of Light in his hometown.
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"Coming to fight there at the Stadium of Light would be surreal. The support I got when I walked on the pitch was crazy," Kelly told Sky Sports.
"They're not fans, they're like friends and family. I'm overwhelmed."
Conor Benn would be the most high-profile British opponent operating around Kelly's weight division.
"It can [happen]. I don't think it will because I think he's chasing them fantasy fights, win-win fights where he boxes Shakur [Stevenson] or someone where he's not supposed to win and if he loses, his value doesn't drop that much, commercially anyway," Kelly said.
"But if he wants world title fights, I think my commercial value's up there with the best of them. He can fight me and get paid a lot of money for it.
"The Stadium of Light would be bouncing."
Benn, however, is not Kelly's target. "Champions don't chase challengers, they chase champions," he said. "I'm not chasing him whatsoever.
"Conor Benn's improved a lot since he started but he's not on my level.
"He's boxed Eubank twice and that's the highest echelon of his career, and Eubank was a shell of a man."
Kelly continued: "He knows I hit hard enough to hurt him. He knows I've got the boxing ability and IQ to give him a real boxing lesson."
His goal is to become a unified world champion with Xander Zayas, who now holds the WBO and WBA titles at 154lbs, his preferred opponent.
"I want to try and get some more titles, so maybe Zayas for a unification. I'd love that. Three belts, unreal," Kelly said.
"I feel like we can bring a big night to Sunderland but if he wants to stay comfy and wants to have it in America and stay in his comfort zone, I'm not fussed about travelling.
"I'd love nothing more than to have it in the Stadium of Light. That would just be a dream come true.
"We can't have everything we want which way we want. I've got the world title, I've got the backing from the people in the city of Sunderland, so hopefully I can get it back there.
"But if not, we've just got to do what we've got to do to get another win."
Watch the Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper bill live on Sky Sports on Sunday April 5
