Hughie Fury ill, Michael Hunter eliminator postponed

In what’s sure to be an absolutely crippling blow for those who enjoy high-octane slugfests BOXXER announced today that Hughie Fury’s July 2nd eliminator against Michael Hunter has been postponed after the former fell ill.

“On behalf of myself and my son, we apologise to the fans but most of all to Hunter and his team, because like us, they’ve gone through a hard camp and this news is the last thing anyone in boxing wants to hear,” said Peter Fury.

“Hughie struggled on through the illness but physically broke down. We look forward to this fight being rescheduled as it’s a great fight for both men and for the fans around the world.

Once again we apologise to everyone involved, but health is paramount in boxing.”

The undercard, which will presumably tag along with the relocated main event, featured Caroline Dubois, Hassan Azim, Brad Rea, and the pro debut of Tokyo 2020 silver medalist Ben Whittaker.

Fury (26-3, 15 KO) and Hunter (20-1-2, 14 KO) were slated to square off for a crack at WBA “world” champion Daniel Dubois, who lifted the belt from Trevor Bryan in a ludicrously lucrative mismatch last Saturday. It was never going to be a fan-friendly affair, but it’s a well-matched fight between two capable contenders, so let’s hope it’s back on the schedule soon.

The one silver lining is that boxing fans will no longer have to choose between this card and Jason Cunningham vs. Zolani Tete on BT Sport.