After weeks of negotiations with potential replacements,
Adam Azim now has one locked in for next weekend's big show at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The 23-year-old junior welterweight talent will face his first American opponent in the form of
Kurt Scoby (18-1, 16 KOs) after it was today confirmed a deal had been reached between their respective teams to feature as part of the five-fight Chris Eubank Jr-Conor Benn II undercard.
Scoby, trained by Hector Bermudez, has scored a trio of stoppage victories during an active 2025 campaign and was already in-line to box again on November 8 against Argentine journeyman Cristian Ruben Mino. His lone defeat came via sixth-round stoppage by inconsistent Dakota Linger in April 2024, with the 31-year-old since moving to welterweight.
Last week, a deal was close and with little under two weeks before fight night, the change has been made official. Azim (13-0, 10 KOs) was originally slated to box former IBF interim world title challenger Zaur Abdullaev (20-2, 12 KOs) before
he withdrew due to visa issues.
Azim, rated No. 9 by the WBC and a place lower in the IBF's top-15 rankings at 140-pounds, has been frustrated in pursuit of big opportunities to propel him from prospect to bonafide contender, much like
divisional compatriot Dalton Smith has done over the past two years.
After a systematic breakdown of former IBF beltholder
Sergey Lipinets over nine rounds on February 1, the Slough puncher has dealt with uncertainty surrounding his future,
his promoter experienced a change of broadcaster and he's been kept idle on the sidelines.
He was targeting former two-time world champion Regis Prograis after the holy month of Ramadan,
though was promptly snubbed by a bullish veteran keen not to become a gatekeeper. Former world title challenger
Steve Claggett was among those mooted for a summer return, while a stay-busy assignment against
Eliot Chavez fell through on fight day after the Mexican journeyman was pulled by the BBBofC for illegal weight-cutting methods.