Josh Kelly expects Ishmael Davis to fight like Liam Smith

JOSH KELLY is confident switch-hitter Ishmael Davis will adopt the fighting style of the man he replaced.

As part of a six-fight Riyadh Season card at Wembley Stadium Kelly faces Davis in a 12-round super-welterweight contest. Former 154lbs world champion Liam Smith had been in place to face Kelly until the Liverpudlian withdrew last week because of a virus. The search for a replacement didn’t take long with ‘The Black Panther’ stepping into the fray.

Other than his defeat to David Avanesyan the career of Josh Kelly has gone as expected in the ring. After the first bell rings on Saturday night Davis should present different problems to those of the aggressive Smith. Kelly’s new foe is an unpredictable fighter who can box out of either stance and on the front or back foot. Kelly, however, believes Davis will actually fight like his original opponent.

“I believe everyone sort of tries to adopt the same style to fight me,” he told Boxing News.

“They come forward, try and put the hands up and they try and walk us down. That’s what they think is the blueprint.

“I’ve never had to fight a boxer who stands off long because I think they believe they’re going to get beat boxing long. They believe get it just short and then it’s game over well it’s clearly not that. I’ve fought inside a lot of times, I fight [on the] inside in the gym.

“I can switch it up, I’m very versatile, I’ve got different styles. I believe Ishmael will try the same as Liam. Liam’s world class at it. He’s done it at the highest level but I believe Ish’ will bring the same tactics and try and walk us down and that’s what I’ve prepared for. That’d be perfect for me but it’d be to his detriment.”