JOSH KELLY will return to action in his native North-East this summer after claiming the first title of his professional career on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s World Heavyweight title win in Cardiff.

Kelly out-classed experienced Mexican Carlos Molina to claim the WBA International Welterweight title, triumphing by a wide margin on all three judges’ cards.

The Sunderland fighter has now won all six of his contests since turning professional in the wake of the 2016 Olympics, and his promoter Eddie Hearn has lined up a showcase slot in Newcastle on June 16.

Kelly will top the bill on the summer show, which has been lined up for Newcastle’s Metro Arena, with recently-crowned British champion Lewis Ritson also expected to be involved.

“I just asked Josh, ‘How’s your hands?’ and he said, ‘Good’,” said Hearn. “So on June 16 we’re going to Newcastle, and we’re going to have a party. That Arena is going to be bouncing – what a time for North-East boxing.

“For Josh Kelly to do that to Carlos Molina after just six fights is tremendous. Lewis Ritson is also going great, and on June 16 they’re coming home, and it’s going to be a great night.

“This boy (Kelly) has a massive future in the welterweight division. He oozes class, oozes skill, and he’s going all the way.”

Kelly, who is nicknamed ‘Pretty Boy’, was certainly in complete control of Saturday’s fight, dominating from the off against his experienced opponent, who is a former World champion.

The 24-year-old was too quick for Molina throughout, and a powerful jab rocked the Mexican as early as the second round.

Kelly followed that shot with an effective right-left combination, and the first half of the fight saw the Wearsider land a succession of hooks as his speed and movement around the ring left his opponent flummoxed.

Molina caught Kelly with a one-two in the fifth, and the former Olympian became slightly more circumspect in the closing rounds, with his victory already assured.

Two of the judges awarded the fight to Kelly by a 98-92 margin, with the other scoring the contest 99-91, and the youngster showed no signs of fatigue despite being taken to the end of the tenth round for the first time in his career.

“He was hard to catch clean, and I was getting caught with a few shots so sometimes I went on the back foot,” said Kelly, who is trained by Adam Booth. “I didn’t want to hurt the hands too much because we have big plans for another fight in June.

“You couldn’t switch off in there because Molina was always there. He was that slow that it made him very awkward.”