Imago
Credits: Wikipedia Commons
Imago
Credits: Wikipedia Commons
For a fighter on the cusp of a world title shot, the most dangerous opponent can sometimes be their own body. That became the stark reality for Brandon Adams when he collapsed on the day of his official weigh-ins. This has forced DMG Promotions to cancel the light middleweight title eliminator.
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Adams was set to face Caoimhin Agyarko in the main event of the ‘Night of Champions’ set to take place at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, when on the morning of the weigh-ins, he collapsed in his hotel room. He was immediately taken to the hospital, where he remains under observation and on IV fluids.
“Brandon was experiencing chest pain early this morning and collapsed in his hotel room and was rushed to the hospital,” Adams’ manager, Mark Habibi, told BoxingScene. “He’s currently been admitted and is undergoing evaluation. More details to follow.”
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“He’s absolutely crushed for not being able to participate in this fight,” Habibi said in a statement. “He gave everything he had in this camp and was looking forward to being at the doorstep of a world title opportunity. His heart goes out to his opponent, Agyarko, who traveled overseas to compete and is looking forward to making this fight happen immediately following his recovery.”
That situation also underscores Btandon Adams’ planned debut under DMG Promotions. After long absences and defeats, Adams built momentum by scoring a unanimous victory over the formidable Serhii Bohachuk this past September. The two previously met 5 years ago, when Adams knocked out the Ukrainian in the 8th round.
Brandon Adams, The Ring’s No. 8 junior middleweight, is forced to withdraw from Saturday’s fight with Caoimhin Agyarko in Las Vegas after he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital.
Statement from his manager, Mark Habibi of Wise Owl Boxing, to @ringmagazine:
“Brandon was…
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) April 10, 2026
The 36-year-old Californian now stands as the No.1-ranked contender to champion Xander Zayas’ WBO (World Boxing Organization) title. Holding 2nd and 3rd place in the WBC (World Boxing Council) and the IBF (International Boxing Federation) ranks, respectively, the California native would’ve faced Northern Ireland’s Caoimhin Agyarko if not for the unfortunate cancellation. With the main event now off, the Triller-streamed card, however, moves forward.
The development also directly impacts Agyarko, who now loses out on a major opportunity.
Agyarko’s big break slips away after Brandon Adams’ withdrawal
Unbeaten, the London-born light middleweight came off a tightly contested win over Ishmael Davis to secure his first overseas bout.
“Absolutely heartbroken to announce my fight tomorrow night is off,” Agyarko wrote. “Unfortunately, my opponent fainted this morning, was rushed to the hospital, and was declared medically unfit to fight. Firstly, I hope Brandon Adams is okay and makes a speedy recovery. Secondly, my dreams have been shattered. I put my heart and soul into this camp/fight; I trained extremely hard; I was in the best shape of my life, 14 hard weeks being away from my family, girlfriend, and friends.”
While disappointed about missing out on the opportunity, the financial loss from the cancellation also hit Agyarko hard. Still, he expressed optimism. Remaining mentally strong, he later apologized to supporters and promised a comeback soon.
Reports indicated Adams and Agyarko were competing to secure a title shot against Josh Kelly, the IBF title holder.
This incident also echoes a recent instance involving junior bantamweight champion Willibaldo Garcia. In the Mexican’s case, he collapsed after the official weigh-ins for the title defense against Kenshiro Teraji this past December and later went to the hospital.
That example again highlights that, despite being some of the fittest athletes in the sporting world, boxers remain susceptible when their bodies fail to respond under extreme demand.
As of this writing, the card continues with the 8-round bout between Chantel Navarro and Perla Lomeli, now set to serve as the main event.
Written by
Edited by
Gokul Pillai