Bakhram Murtazaliev Lands IBF Eliminator In Russia After Josh Kelly Defeat

Former IBF junior middleweight champion is expected to face Brandon Adams later this summer with a title shot at stake

Bakhram Murtazaliev will get a chance to move back into title contention after Main Events secured promotional rights for his IBF junior middleweight eliminator against Brandon Adams. The bout is expected to take place in Russia later this summer, giving the former champion a home-country return as he pursues a rematch with Josh Kelly.

The location could give Murtazaliev a major boost. The former IBF champion has not fought in Russia since April 2019, and he is expected to have strong support behind him after the controversial majority decision loss to Kelly in the United Kingdom on January 31.

Many fans felt Murtazaliev did enough to keep his title against Kelly in a close fight that took place in Kelly’s backyard. A win over Adams would move him into position to force a rematch with the British fighter.

Adams enters the eliminator as the more experienced road fighter and already owns a recent upset victory. The 36-year-old defeated Serhii Bohachuk on the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford undercard last September and was later scheduled to meet Caoimhin Agyarko in another eliminator before illness forced him out of the fight during fight week.

Fighting Murtazaliev in Russia will be a different assignment altogether. Adams will be walking into a hostile atmosphere against a pressure fighter trying to work his way back to a title shot after losing his belt in a disputed fashion.

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