Boxing: Sprott Forced Out of Title Fight

Michael Sprott has had to withdraw from his Commonwealth heavyweight title challenge against Matt Skelton at London's ExCel Arena on Saturday because of a hamstring injury sustained during training for the contest.

The 32-year-old Reading fighter has been told that he will be able to return to training within three weeks. The promoter, Frank Warren, has postponed the entire show and is hoping soon to announce a new date.

"I am absolutely gutted to have had to pull out of the fight," said Sprott. "Following my great win over Audley Harrison [a knockout in the third round] I was looking to build on it and hopefully get a world title fight, but that is on hold now.

"I really wanted to fight but the pain from my leg was too severe to continue training and I would not have been fully fit in time to take Skelton on. The decision was made by my team and I have to respect that. I now aim to fully recover from this injury and resume training and await a new date."

Warren said he had been unable to arrange a replacement opponent to take on Skelton so close to the fight date. "I await news of Michael's treatment and, when he is fully fit to box, a new date will be announced," he said.

Warren is still locked in negotiations to secure a fight between Joe Calzaghe and Jermain Taylor in September, with the Welshman accusing the American of being "chicken" by picking easy fights and not agreeing to a "genuine challenge".

Calzaghe, the 35-year-old IBF and WBO super-middleweight title-holder, is desperate to meet Taylor, the WBC and WBO middleweight champion, who has been offered £2m but is holding out for more money and is haggling over the location of the contest.

Taylor, 28, labored to a split-decision win against the smaller Cory Spinks in Memphis on Saturday.

"I thought the Jermain Taylor fight could be made but maybe he's becoming chicken," Calzaghe said. "People are getting bored of him picking easy fights. He's not getting respect because he's not fighting anybody. If he wants respect then he needs a genuine challenge."