Junior middleweight contenders Brandon Adams and Caoimhin Agyarko struck the deal just in time on Monday, avoiding a purse bid and eliminating an April 18 IBF final now targeted for the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.
It’s the kind of deal that keeps the fight in the ring rather than an office, and it gives the division a true ranking fight instead of a paper one.
For Adams, the environment suits. The California native and former Contender winner will be fighting close to home as he pushes for his first title shot since losing to Jermall Charlo in 2019. His career came to a near halt after that defeat, including a three-year absence that could have quietly ended his relevance.
Instead, Adams rebuilt. Two decision wins over Serhii Bohachuk changed how he was viewed, followed by a clear decision over then-undefeated Francisco Daniel Veron and a narrow split loss to Andreas Katsourakis that did little to damage his standing. Losses to Willie Monroe Jr and Apollo Thompson once seemed like ceiling setters. At 154, Adams worked past them.
Agyarko arrives undefeated, but much less established. His split decision victory over Troy Williamson has aged well, but 2025 was a cautionary year. A majority decision over Ryan Kelly was followed by a September fight with Ishmael Davis that required a trip to the canvas just to escape with his record intact. This will be his first fight outside of Europe and his first real world level test.
The bigger issue awaits on the other side. The winner becomes mandatory for Bakhram Murtazaliev, a champion who punishes mistakes and does not give away rounds. Both Adams and Agyarko have shown defensive gaps over the years. Against a puncher like Murtazaliev, there is no margin for that. This eliminator brings deserved attention and opportunity. It can also be the moment where ambition runs head first into reality.
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Last updated on 01/06/2026
