Boxing: Tyson Fury fight called off after hand fracture for Dereck Chisora

The show at Manchester’s Phones 4U Arena will still go ahead, with Billy Joe Saunders now in the main event

Dereck Chisora has been forced to withdraw the European heavyweight title fight with Tyson Fury in Manchester after fracturing his hand during a sparring session

Dereck Chisora has been forced to withdraw from Saturday’s European heavyweight title fight with Tyson Fury in Manchester after fracturing his hand during a sparring session.

The Londoner was set to meet Fury to contest the European belt and the vacant British title but the fight will be rescheduled, with a new date to be announced shortly.

In a statement from the promoters, Chisora said: “I can’t tell you how disappointed I am to have to pull out of the fight against Fury, but it is on the advice of my specialist that I have to do this.”

The show at Manchester’s Phones 4U Arena will still go ahead, with Billy Joe Saunders now in the main event as he challenges Emanuele Blandamura for the vacant European middleweight title.

Chisora, who was keen to avenge his defeat to Fury on a unanimous points decision three years ago, added: “I was in fantastic shape and had a great training camp, probably the best so far in my career, I’m sorry to have to pull out on Fury, as I know that he had been training hard and it was going to be a great fight between two top athletes, and I hope we can get it on again soon.”

Promoter Frank Warren said: “Everybody involved in the fight worked hard to get it on and for this to happen on the final week is a big disappointment to everyone.

“There’s no way that Dereck could fight with his hand fractured and there’s no way I would let him get into the ring and fight with an injury like that.

“Obviously, you’ve got to feel for Tyson who, through no fault of his own, has been hit hard by this postponement after all the training he has put in,” Warren added.