VRENOZI NO SHOW

Josh Kelly will now return in June after his opponent pulls out at last minute, writes Roy Kelly

FIGHTS falling through are not uncommon, though not usually immediately before the combatants are due to climb through the ropes. That was the case at Indigo at the O2 on Friday night when Josh Kelly’s scheduled return against Xhuljo Vrenozi was pulled at the last minute. His first bout back since his defeat to David Avanesyan for the European title in February 2021 will now be in Liverpool on June 17.

Kelly apologised to the crowd. “He won’t come out of his hotel room,” the 28-year-old told the audience. “I was warming up in the changing rooms and he’s pulled out. The support I’ve got tonight is unbelievable. Everyone’s tickets tonight will be valid for the Liverpool show on June 17.”

TV pundit Steve Bunce added that no amount of coaxing would entice the Italian-based Albanian out. Kelly came in at 156lb 9oz, just over two pounds above the weight limit, with his opponent tipping the scales at 151lb 12oz.

The Sunderland super-welter, of course, should have made the stipulated weight but, unless a title is on the line, it is rare it leads to a fight collapsing. Sometimes there is simply a resigned shrug from the lighter party or an offer of financial compensation. And that appears to have been a factor here, as promoter Kalle Sauerland discussed on Channel 5.

“Josh came in 1.2kilos overweight yesterday,” he said. “They knew he was going to come in around that weight. There was no approaches for Josh to go and make the weight with 1.2kilos not a big ask. We shook hands, it’s on camera. Then this afternoon they said we’re not boxing.

“So, we thought okay is it a money thing? So, we tested the water there. In fact, we tested it very heavily. Clearly wasn’t a money thing. In my view he’s just bottled it to put it bluntly.”