Sporting Digest: Boxing

Johnny Nelson has been forced to withdraw from Saturday's vacant European cruiserweight title fight at Sheffield's Hillsborough Leisure Centre against Russia's Alexander Iliin, due to a back injury.

The 47-year-old Roberto Duran of Panama, who has held titles in four different weight classes, will challenge the American fighter, William Joppy, for his World Boxing Association middleweight title. The contest will be on the undercard of Evander Holyfield's heavyweight fight against Henry Akinwande in New York next month.