Josh Kelly Clings to Majority Decision Against Ishmael Davis in Uninspiring Wembley Showdown
If you tuned in hoping for fireworks, the middleweight clash between Josh Kelly and Ishmael Davis at Wembley Stadium probably left you checking your phone more than the ring. Kelly walked away with his hand raised, but not many were in a rush to celebrate. He nabbed a majority decision after 12 cautious rounds, moving to 16 wins, but the style he used to get there looks unlikely to make any future highlight reels.
Kelly’s ring reputation used to revolve around his slick footwork and sharp counters, the kind of attributes that had fans talking about him as Britain’s next boxing star. On September 21, those skills were still there, but only in spurts. For most of the night, he danced around the ropes, swatting at Ishmael Davis with quick, single shots, and making sure not to linger in one spot for very long. Davis, stepping in on just a few weeks’ notice after Liam Smith pulled out injured, couldn’t catch up. He tried to pressure Kelly, walking him down and trying to close the distance, but his attacks looked rushed and his footwork couldn’t trap Kelly in any one place—until a tense final round.
The real drama showed up in those last three minutes. All evening, Kelly teased Davis with brief flurries then skipped away or clinched before any serious back-and-forth could happen. But with the clock winding down, Davis finally found a way to pin his man on the ropes. A few clean shots landed. For once, Kelly’s swagger slipped—he was forced to cover up, clearly rattled, as Davis pressed forward throwing everything he had left. If Davis fought the rest of the bout like he finished it, the outcome might have flipped.
The judges’ cards didn’t exactly scream domination: two of them had Kelly ahead by a whisker, 115-113 and 115-114, with the third scoring the fight even at 114-114. The arena’s atmosphere felt just as split—some fans clapped, others just shrugged, with a few booing as the final bell rang. The bout was beamed out on DAZN, PPV.com, and Sky Sports, with plenty tuning in as part of the massive Saudi-backed Riyadh Season lineup, but the reception was lukewarm everywhere.
Questions Linger for Kelly After Disappointing Display
Even though Kelly’s record improved, this performance won’t have done him any favors with promoters or fans chasing action over tactics. Instead of a statement win, he gave everyone a few more questions: Does his safety-first style work against tougher, more aggressive opponents? Can he adapt when someone breaks through his movement, like Davis finally did in the twelfth? And, crucial for anyone eyeing bigger title fights, is Kelly too defensive to ever really seize the moment when it counts?
Davis goes home with his first loss, but as a late stand-in, his stock didn’t exactly plummet. He showed grit and nearly stole it at the end. For Kelly, the Josh Kelly name still holds some weight, but if he wants to headline the biggest nights, it might be time to do more than just survive in the ring. Wembley saw a win, but not a statement.
