Costello so proud of Kelly’s performance

Kelly and Costello. “I thought he nicked it,” says trainer

LET’S say it as it is – and it may sound bizarre.

Ryan Kelly was victorious in every department except the result following his desperately close Commonwealth middleweight title loss to Kieron Conway.

And I’ve spoken to many well-known faces in the game who believed the Chelmsley Wood ticket-seller should’ve had his hand raised following the hard fought 12 rounder on the Resorts World super-show on Saturday.

Yet, in the run-up, a straw poll of Birmingham experts heavily favoured Northampton’s Conway.

That’s one significant victory for 30-year-old Kelly.

He pushed a man who has beaten some of the best on the domestic scene all the way. In doing so, Ryan cemented his place at British title level.

That’s another significant victory.

And, according to Kelly’s trainer John Costello, after the dust had settled, 28-year-old Conway admitted: “That’s the toughest fight of my life.”

That’s a very significant victory.

In this age of instant news, a blow-by-blow account of such high-profile, televised bouts after the event is fairly superfluous. It is the reaction that matters – and Kelly can bask in the positives.

For the record, he lost a split decision for the vacant belt on Saturday after a nip-and-tuck affair. Judges Lee Every and Kevin Parker had it 116-112 and a 115-113 for Conway, Mark Lyson had it 115-114 Kelly.

There’s little doubt Ryan started brighter and took the first three sessions before Conway began to establish himself.

“I’m immensely proud of Ryan,” Costello said. “I had him landing the cleaner shots, I thought he did enough. I’m not screaming robbery – it was a close fight, but I thought Ryan did enough.

“I had Ryan winning the first three, I think Kieron came back into it and after midway Ryan started picking it up again.

“I’m not saying Ryan didn’t get hit, but he took a lot on his gloves. Look at Ryan’s face and look at Kieron’s face. At one point I thought Kieron’s nose was coming off his face, Ryan hardly had a mark on him.

“Kieron was six to one on with some bookies, Ryan was a five to one underdog with some bookies, yet he showed he belonged at that level.

“I’m immensely proud, he has come so far. Ryan fought Hamzah Sheeraz at two weeks notice, was up after five rounds, but ran out of steam. That’s the only time he’s been stopped.

“Ryan has cemented himself as a solid, domestic performer. One good win and he will really step-up and move on.

“The fight with Kieron showed that is where he belongs. I have known Kieron and his father for a long time, they are lovely people, a class act. For Kieron to say, ‘that’s the toughest fight of my life’, that, for me, speaks for itself.

“Some were saying Ryan didn’t belong in that fight, they wrote him off, but we don’t take fights we don’t believe we can win.”

Costello stressed: “I believe in Ryan Kelly. He has a British title in him. He’s 30-years-old and is only going to get better.”