Fight week is well underway for Josh Kelly as he returns to the North East to fight Lucas Bastida on Saturday. Kelly is a lifelong Sunderland AFC fan and IntuBooxing was able to catch up with Kelly and Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil as they would discuss the fight and the upcoming football season.
Neil was up first and he stated that it was the first time he had met Kelly, but he seemed ready and very focused. Neil would then be asked if he would ever take on the diet of a boxer, to which he replied: "Na definitely not, definitely not.
"I've seen videos of them cutting weight and that ain't for me."
Neil would go on to discuss the upcoming season for Sunderland before Kelly would jump in and have his say. Kelly was asked if he would fancy the footballer's diet, to which he responded: "Mate, after this fight I'll be on the footballer's diet 100%. Na, they gotta eat clean and fuel themselves, but it ain't a weight-making sport so they don't need to do what we do.
"They got 90 minutes of hard work, they need to be switched on, can't afford to be lagging. It's different altogether."
Kelly goes on to talk about his opponent for this weekend: "He's gonna be game mate, he's come from Argentina,
"He wants to win everything, he's sort of young and wants to put himself out there so he's definitely going to bring a good fight, but I'm gonna be too strong, too fast, I'll be too switched on.
"Busines and activity are important for me, when I'm active, I'm lightning so he's gonna struggle and I want to get him out of there on Saturday night."
Kelly has been mandated to fight Troy Williamson for the British title and gave his thoughts on the potential of that fight happening: "100%, 100%, that's why it's going to purse bids because I've said yes.
"It's a fight that I would love, would be massive for the North East so, me and Troy would be a great fight.
"My Twitter's been hacked so I can't reply to anyone, everyone's on there saying that Josh won't take the fight, of course, I'd take the fight, don't worry about that when I come through Saturday, that fight will be made."
Neil is then asked about the atmosphere at Sunderland's home ground, the Stadium Of Light, and whether he thinks Kelly would headline there one day: "I was saying before when you're in that tunnel, it's like all the noise gets zapped down the tunnel, then as you come out there is just this one big roar, it's hairs on your neck stuff.
"Hopefully, Josh is fighting here soon so he can feel that himself."
The pair then give their predictions for both the fight and the Sunderland vs Coventry game this weekend, and the pair agree that they believe it will be two wins for Sunderland this weekend.
The full interview can be watched below.
Kelly and Bastida clash this Saturday at the Vertu Motors Arena in Newcastle and will be live on Channel 5 from 10 pm.