Virus forces Sykes to miss out on title shot
Dewsbury boxer Gary Sykes must wait for a shot at the British lightweight title after a virus ruled him out of a potential clash with holder Scotty Cardle.
The British Boxing Board of Control had accepted a request from promoter Eddie Hearn for Cardle to make a voluntary defence of his title against Sykes.
However, it was announced on Wednesday that Cardle would instead face a former Sykes opponent, Gary Buckland, in Liverpool on September 19.
A virus has prevented Sykes from training and the 31-year-old felt he would not be 100 per cent ready to take on Cardle in such an important fight with little over four weeks to prepare.