Darren Surtees will have to wait for his first exposure in the British championship picture.
The unbeaten Co Durham star had been due to contest a title eliminator with Kieran Gething on the MTK spectacular in Newcastle on May 3.
However, his Welsh opponent pulled out some weeks ago and strenuous efforts by the event organisers to find a suitable replacement have brought no success.
A blow to Surtees? Undoubtedly. He would have planned to win at the Newcastle Eagles Community Arena and then wait for his next step later this year.
However, time is on his side – he is still only 24 and remains in a terrific position to make inroads in the 10st division.
Surtees has won all 11 of his bouts, the most recent four being highly-impressive displays and, in the case of his last three appearances very clinical finishes.
‘Dazzla’, who recently sparred the brilliant Josh Taylor (pictured), is part of the quality Dave Binns stable at East Durham College in Peterlee and, with manager Phil Jeffries and backers Team Sauerland behind him, is surely destined for big things.
The loss of what looked a cracker between Surtees and Gething is a blow to the show and it’s a shame the Thornley puncher will be absent.
But there is plenty of other North-East talent on display .
Darlington’s Troy Williamson, part of the Frank Warren empire, will look to extend his unbeaten run with a 10th victory while ‘Benwell Bomber’ Joe Laws will have huge backing as he chases his fifth straight win. At the top of the bill, MTK’s unbeaten Irishman Tyrone McCullagh faces Alvaro Rodriguez in the first defence of the WBO European super-bantamweight title
