“When they talk in the media, they say they want to fight the best,” Murtazhaliev said. “When it comes to business, the capital they invest is too high and they can’t afford it.”

This situation reflects a common pattern in the junior middleweight division. Interest was expressed publicly, but private talks failed to progress. No fight was formally rejected, but talks stalled before reaching a viable stage.

For Murtazaliyev, this cycle has led to a world title shot but no clear route to the division’s most high-profile fight. He enters Saturday’s fight as the IBF champion after stopping Tim Tszyu, but outside of Kelly’s defense, no confirmed opponent awaits.

Murtazaliyev emphasized that his comments were not directed at Ennis personally, but rather at how major fights are often discussed. If Ennis pursues a title shot at 154 pounds, the IBF belt is already in play. Murtazariev said he was ready to move beyond long-term back-and-forth to concrete negotiations.

The focus remains on Saturday’s game. Murtazaliyev must first get through to Kelly before any future discussions can take place. But by speaking out publicly, the IBF champion clarified his stance. The junior middleweight division is stacked, but nothing really exciting.

With Virgil Ortiz Jr.’s lawsuit against Golden Boy still pending and negotiations involving Jalen Ennis going nowhere, champions like Murtazaliyev can only wait. Coming off the biggest win of his career, he made it clear he had no interest in sitting on the sidelines while other games fell to the wayside.

He didn’t ask to be mentioned after the fight. He demanded that the conversation finally move forward.