A back injury has forced the French heavyweight to withdraw from his July 11 challenge, leaving Murat Gassiev without a confirmed opponent for his first WBA “Regular” title defense
Murat Gassiev could be heading into fight week without an opponent. Tony Yoka has withdrawn from their July 11 heavyweight title fight after suffering a back injury, leaving promoters with little time to secure a replacement or postpone the Moscow main event.
Veteran boxing reporter Dan Rafael broke the news on X.
“Per source involved, Tony Yoka has suffered a back injury and is out of his fight with WBA heavyweight titlist Murat Gassiev,” Rafael wrote. “Undetermined yet if it will be rescheduled or if a new opponent will be sought.”
No official replacement has been announced, and it remains unclear whether organizers will move quickly to find another opponent for Gassiev or postpone the bout altogether.
The contest was scheduled to headline a July 11 card at Moscow’s VTB Arena and would have been the first defense of Gassiev’s WBA “Regular” heavyweight title. The former unified cruiserweight champion has been looking to establish himself as a force in the heavyweight division after capturing the secondary WBA belt earlier this year.
For Yoka, the withdrawal is another frustrating setback. The 2016 Olympic gold medalist had been aiming to secure the biggest victory of his professional career after rebuilding momentum with recent wins following a difficult stretch that included several defeats and multiple canceled opportunities.
With little more than a week remaining before the event, promoters now face a race against the clock to determine whether Gassiev will defend his title against a late replacement or if the fight will have to be pushed back to a later date.
On paper, it was a curious title defense from the moment it was announced. Yoka remained a recognizable name because of his 2016 Olympic gold medal, but his professional career never matched the hype. Nine years after turning pro, the 15-3 Frenchman had built his record largely against limited opposition, while each of his biggest tests against Martin Bakole, Carlos Takam and Ryad Merhy ended in defeat.