COVID-19: Avanesyan-Kelly title fight called off

David Avanesyan’s European welterweight title fight with Josh Kelly has been postponed again after professional boxing in the United Kingdom was suspended for January due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus cases have risen in the UK, prompting the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) to announce the suspension of professional boxing events in the UK for January.

England-based Russian Avanesyan’s European title fight with Kelly — scheduled for Jan. 30 — was initially postponed from happening in London on March 28 last year due to the outbreak.

A BBBofC statement read: “Following the increase in COVID-19 cases in the United Kingdom and the effects such increases have on the NHS and the work of the Board Medical Officers, it has been decided that no tournaments under the jurisdiction of the British Boxing Board of Control will take place in Jan. 2021.

“A further review by the Board’s Medical Panel and Stewards will take place later in January in relation to tournaments from February onwards.”

Kelly (10-0-1, 6 KOs), 26, from Sunderland, England, also withdrew from facing Avanesyan (26-3-1, 14 KOs), 32, in December 2018 due to illness.

Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn said on social media: “Seen the statement from the BBBofC that January shows will be postponed in the UK. Boxing for us will now re-start early Feb.

“Hopefully that will be in the U.K. but we will proceed regardless, safely and by any means necessary.”