Joan Guzman has unexpectedly pulled out of the much anticipated fight with lightweight champion Nate Campbell due to his failure to make weight.

On Friday September 12, Guzman’s weight was found to be over the weight class limit by three and half pounds but he did not cancel the fight scheduled the next day. The Dominican boxer told his opponent Nate Campbell who visited him at the hospital hours before the scheduled match that he would show up at the ring.

Promoter Don King realized the Guzman would not show up just at the last moment and decided to call off the match at 6.00 p.m. causing some confusion to the fans, while the frustrated Campbell lashed out on Guzman and claimed the Dominican was not really sick, but feared that his perfect winning record would be tarnished by a loss to Campbell.

Guzman has won all his 28 professional fights but he had not fought in a bout in the past ten months due to problems to make weight. He was earlier scheduled to fight Alex Arthur but fight was cancelled due to the weights of both boxers, and the WBO allowed him to vacate his super featherweight title and move up to fight in the lightweight against Campbell who hold WBO, WBA, and IBF titles.

The match was highly anticipated and both Guzman and his manager said they were confident Guzman, who was under the coaching of reputed trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr., would be able to defeat Campbell. They said the American boxer has good skills but lacks of necessary qualities for the fight.

However, Guzman pulled out of the lightweight match even when he was allowed to fight despite the failure to make weight, said Campbell.

Mayweather Sr. was reportedly upset when he learned that Guzman had cancelled the fight. He originally planned to leave Guzman for another boxer once the Dominican had won the titles.

Promoter Don King was likely not happy either as his event was already risking to suffer a financial loss due to the two recent hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and the evacuation of millions of people.

Guzman’s uncontrollable eating habit and irresponsibility are well-known among the trainers and managers. Although he was able to make weight for the earlier bouts, Guzman is now 32 and has not had a fight for nearly a year.

The sudden pulling out from the recent bout at the last moment may cost him the relationships with his trainer and manager, promoter King, as well as his younger brother who is looking to follow his footsteps as a professional boxer.  

News: Global-report