There has been a late twist to the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol card.
Beterbiev and Bivol meet this weekend in a rematch of their battle from October, where Beterbiev won by majority decision to become the undisputed light heavyweight champion.
Just four months on and Beterbiev and Bivol will battle again at 175lbs, on a card that was set to feature three other world title fights, but one of them has fallen through with just days to go until fight night.
Shakur Stevenson was set to defend his WBC lightweight title against Floyd Schofield, but it has been reported by The Ring that Schofield has fallen ill and has been forced to withdraw.
A replacement opponent is currently being sought, with Josh Padley and Moussa Gholam believed to be two names in the frame to replace Schofield.
Before Schofield was reported as being out of the fight, promoter Eddie Hearn spoke to IFL TV around the rumours surrounding the American struggling to make weight.
“I don’t represent Floyd Schofield, what I believe is one of the issues, and I’ll be completely honest, it’s a bit of a pain. The BBBofC operate the events out here, they have a very strict rule on a check weight on the Wednesday of fight week.
“I’m not saying that rule is a bad rule, but nowhere else in the world to my knowledge of any major commission has that rule. So every international fighter that comes over, they should be told weeks in advance but some only find out when they get there, that’s not our job as it’s not our fighter.”
Hearn went on to explain how that led to Schofield’s absence from the grand arrivals.
“Basically, and this is where I think it’s a bad policy, is fighters are focusing on making that weight for the check weight, then rehydrating after the check weight, and then they’re going forward to another weigh-in two days later.
“I don’t know and I can’t give you the doctor’s opinion on if it’s a good or a bad rule, but it’s a rule and that’s the way it is. All of a sudden you’ve got a situation where a fighter like Floyd Schofield has to make a check weight tomorrow, he might want to train tonight.
“He doesn’t want to be coming to the Grand Arrivals saying ‘hello everybody.’ He’s getting ready for the check weight tomorrow. That’s why I believe he’s not here tonight. That’s a question for Golden Boy, not Eddie Hearn, Shakur Stevenson will be here tonight.”
An official announcement on whether Stevenson remains on the Beterbiev vs. Bivol card against one of the rumoured late replacement opponents is expected within the next 24 hours.
