Who takes the crown?

In a weekend of trilogy bouts, an exciting clash of styles headlines Friday’s fight night, in a British super-welterweight clash between Troy Williamson vs Josh Kelly.

Form would seem to favour Darlington’s Williamson coming into the fight, on the back of a destructive run which saw him gain wins over David Benitez, Mason Cartwright, and more notably fan favourite Ted Cheeseman in a blockbuster affair at the Echo Arena back in October ‘21.

The relentlessness and physicality of Williamson which saw him emerge victorious in the Cheeseman fight, are at the core of people's reasoning for why they edge toward him on Friday night. Kelly, whose blossoming career came crashing down following a TKO defeat to David Avanesyan, has had his heart and chin questioned in the wake of his loss and many believe these will be the deciding factor come fight night.

It has been a rollercoaster of a career so far for the Sunderland based fighter. Flying back from Rio and fighting under the Matchroom banner saw impressive and dominant performances early on in his career, but a disappointing display in an ugly fight under the lights at Madison Square Gardens saw the emergence of his doubters. This only intensified after his stoppage defeat at Wembley Arena, where his future in the sport was questioned at an elite level.

As every fighter with a loss on their record can testify, there aren’t many sports with as fickle a fan as boxing. Despite his pedigree, many fans write him off not just in this contest but at an elite level moving forward. Since his defeat however, it has appeared Kelly has undergone a personal transformation outside of the ring, solidifying his mental fortitude; something he may well have to rely on in the later rounds as he faces the inevitable pressure of Williamson this Friday.

In his corner, coach Adam Booth has kept consistent with his belief in Kelly and his ability to reach the highest level of the sport, whilst looking no further than the challenge at hand. His confidence in Kelly having not shown what he is fully capable of yet, is met with raised eyebrows, as it’s probably fair to say since Josh’s professional debut in 2017 , we haven’t seen him reach the heights in which he was being touted. Though perhaps this is what makes Kelly all the more dangerous. Understanding what he is fighting for on Friday; not just bragging rights for the North-East of England or a way to silence his doubters, but a clear path back to the highest level of the sport.

The confidence held by team Kelly is matched by Williamson, who hopes to use a victory over his local rival as a springboard onto the world scene, which would mark a hugely impressive post-pandemic run of wins.

Kelly’s claim that all the pressure is on Troy, is not something I’m sure I agree on, although I understand why he might want people thinking that. Nevertheless it doesn’t seem like Troy is feeling any of this pressure, having made clear all he needs to do is show up and perform. He also rejected the notion that brute force is his only path to victory and remains adamant that he is more than capable of outboxing Josh.

Whilst people may be quick to point to the pedigree of Kelly, many forget Williamson was a highly talented amateur himself, travelling the world to compete as a member of the GB squad.

As fight night is upon us, the questions will soon be answered soon enough. Will Kelly have the resilience to be able to withstand the pressure that Williamson brings, or will the Darlington man be proven correct and emerge victorious? With all the signs of a British classic, a concoction of dizzying skills, speed and strength await tonight, free to view on Channel 5.