IRELAND’S CAOIMHÍN AGYARKO will travel Stateside to face American Brandon Adams in a final eliminator for the IBF light-middleweight title on 18 April.
Belfast native Agyarko [18-0, 7KOs] and Californian Adams [26-4, 16KOs] will meet at the Toyota Arena, Ontario, in Adams’ home state. The winner will become the mandatory challenger to face Russia’s fearsome world champion Bakhram Murtazaliev [23-0, 17KOs], who is set to defend his IBF belt against Englishman Josh Kelly [17-1-1, 9KOs] in Newcastle on 31 January.
‘Black Thunder’ Agyarko, 29, earned three victories in 2025, most recently earning a split decision over English rival Ishmael Davis at Windsor Park on the undercard of Lewis Crocker’s welterweight world-title victory over Paddy Donovan in September.
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Brandon Adams (R) defeated Serhii Bohachuk for the second time in September. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Former middleweight contender Adams, 36, has enjoyed a career resurgence since dropping down a division in his 30s, albeit he took a three-year hiatus from the sport between 2021 and 2024 due to a promotional dispute. In all, Adams has won five of his last six bouts at 154 pounds having fallen short against 160-pound champion Jermall Charlo in 2019.
‘Cannon’ Adams last September defeated Serhii Bohachuk for the second time on the undercard of Terence Crawford’s landmark victory over Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas. Adams earned a wide unanimous decision over the Ukrainian power-puncher three and a half years after sensationally stopping Bohachuk while trailing on all three judges’ scorecards.
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Caoimhín Agyarko to travel Stateside for world-title final eliminator in April
IRELAND’S CAOIMHÍN AGYARKO will travel Stateside to face American Brandon Adams in a final eliminator for the IBF light-middleweight title on 18 April.
Belfast native Agyarko [18-0, 7KOs] and Californian Adams [26-4, 16KOs] will meet at the Toyota Arena, Ontario, in Adams’ home state. The winner will become the mandatory challenger to face Russia’s fearsome world champion Bakhram Murtazaliev [23-0, 17KOs], who is set to defend his IBF belt against Englishman Josh Kelly [17-1-1, 9KOs] in Newcastle on 31 January.
‘Black Thunder’ Agyarko, 29, earned three victories in 2025, most recently earning a split decision over English rival Ishmael Davis at Windsor Park on the undercard of Lewis Crocker’s welterweight world-title victory over Paddy Donovan in September.
Former middleweight contender Adams, 36, has enjoyed a career resurgence since dropping down a division in his 30s, albeit he took a three-year hiatus from the sport between 2021 and 2024 due to a promotional dispute. In all, Adams has won five of his last six bouts at 154 pounds having fallen short against 160-pound champion Jermall Charlo in 2019.
‘Cannon’ Adams last September defeated Serhii Bohachuk for the second time on the undercard of Terence Crawford’s landmark victory over Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas. Adams earned a wide unanimous decision over the Ukrainian power-puncher three and a half years after sensationally stopping Bohachuk while trailing on all three judges’ scorecards.
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