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Flu forces Nicholas Walters’ withdrawal from doubleheader

Fighters Network
03
Feb

A bout with the flu has caused RING No. 2-rated WBA featherweight titleholder Nicholas Walters to pull out of a planned March 21 doubleheader at the Theater in Madison Square Garden, according to Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum. RING lightweight champion Terence Crawford was to fight in the evening’s co-feature.

As a result, Arum said the event will likely be moved to April at a site to be determined.

“We heard that he has the flu,” said Arum. “So rather than push anything, we’re going to move the fights back to April, his and also Crawford’s, so everything will be good.”

Walters (25-0, 21 knockouts), has stopped 11 of his past 12 opponents dating back to April 2010 and was named “Jamaican Sportsman of the Year” at the 54th RJR Sports Foundation National Awards earlier this month.



A Jamaican-born fighter who lives and trains in Panama City, Panama, Walters could face Puerto Rico’s Gamalier Rodriguez, (25-2-3, 17 KOs).

Nicknamed “Axe Man,” Walters, 29, is coming off the biggest victory of his career and his fifth consecutive stoppage, a sixth-round TKO that dethroned RING No. 6-rated Nonito Donaire as WBA titleholder in October.

Crawford (25-0, 17 KOs) had been considered for a shot at the vacant WBO junior welterweight belt against RING No. 3-rated 140-pounder Chris Algieri (20-1, 8 KOs) but the two sides were reportedly far apart on the money from Team Algieri’s perspective.

Arum said he is still unaware of whom the respective opponents will be for Walters and Crawford.

 

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