INJURY on the eve of fight week has seen short-notice saviour Ishmael Davis withdraw from his British light-middleweight title eliminator against Ryan Kelly, with Caoimhin Agyarko stepping into the breach in Sheffield next Saturday on ten days' notice.

Davis (13-2, 6 KOs) featured on a pair of Riyadh Season cards in London and the Saudi capital before Christmas, going the distance against Josh Kelly in September before Serhii Bohachuk defended his WBC No. 1 status at 154-pounds with a sixth-round stoppage victory on December 21.

Despite banking a full training camp for the first time since outpointing Troy Williamson in his maiden 12-round contest last March, the 30-year-old will now have a scouting mission near home comforts as Birmingham's Kelly (19-5-1, 8 KOs) seeks a return to winning ways.

Agyarko (16-0, 7 KOs) earned a split decision nod over Williamson four months prior to Davis' breakthrough moment, though his Matchroom contract had expired after that career-best win and they were unwilling to extend it.

This time last year, he insisted on not harbouring any ill-will towards the promotion when saying: "I want to push on with big fights, keep progressing my career but it's like every time I get myself into a decent ranking, something pushes me back and I feel like I'm starting again. I can't cry over spilled milk. I keep myself busy, myself in the gym every day and when the right opportunity comes I'll be knocking on the door."

That quote has proven prophetic. Ranked No. 5 by the WBA, the 28-year-old from Belfast has pitched a pair of eight-round decision victories over Bahadur Karami and Harley Collison since becoming a free agent, the latter coming on a York Hall bill ten days ago.

British champion Sam Gilley meanwhile, has been sparring WBO's No. 1 contender Denzel Bentley and IBO world titleholder Uisma Lima as he awaits a rescheduled date for his proposed rematch with Louis Greene.

Kelly suffered a 12-round split decision defeat by Kieron Conway for Commonwealth middleweight honours last November, five months after a split draw over ten with Gerome Warburton in Bolton. This represents his first appearance down at the weight since 2019, where Hamzah Sheeraz stopped him in six rounds for the then-vacant WBO European title.