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Callum Johnson out of Joe Smith title fight with COVID

Fighters Network
06
Jan

Light-heavyweight contender Callum Johnson is out of his January 15 WBO title fight with Joe Smith after testing positive for Covid-19.

Johnson and trainer Joe Gallagher were due to fly to New York this weekend ahead of the clash at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona but now promoters Top Rank are looking for a substitue opponent.

Johnson is promoted by Frank Warren and another of Warren’s boxers, Anthony Yarde, is Smith’s mandatory challenger. Provided Smith wins the replacement bout, it’s likely he will fight either Johnson or Yarde.

Warren told the BBC: “It’s a real great shame for Callum. Hopefully we can get him back in. They may want to reschedule the fight in late spring. He worked really hard to get the opportunity.”



“It’s unbelievable,” said Gallagher, who said that Johnson had rushed to get both vaccination jabs in order to travel to America for the fight. “Callum had gone to the Embassy to get his passport sorted and it had arirved and then all we had to do was go and that was it. I got a text from him in the gym and he wasn’t feeling well and he had a test and a few hours later he sent us a picture of the test. I phoned Frank and that was hard to do, it was a fight I was looking forward to and there isn’t much boxing in January and it was a huge opportunity.”

“It’s a good fight. Everybody wanted to see it. Fingers crossed, prayers and whatever Callum gets a bit of luck and we can get it rescheduled.”

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