Sheffield boxer despairs after fight falls through

The Sheffield boxer claims that his opponent, current champion Jahmaine Smyle demanded a late increase on his intended purse.

Cameron believes Smyle was going to earn around £5-6,000 - but then held out a couple of thousand more.

“It is disgraceful what has happened. I have been training full time and not working so I am really out of pocket.

“I don’t know the details of the negotiations but Smyle asked for a couple of grand more and I was asked to sell that amount of tickets to make it worthwhile.

“I had already sold about £5,500’s worth.

“I don’t know if my own team didn’t have faith in me or what, but I have been pulled off the show and am back roofing for a living.”

Cameron, 23, said Smyle, 30, hadn’t defended his title since winning it in March last year.

“What sort of champion doesn’t defend his title?” the Manor Park fighter added.

“This boxing game is terrible sometimes. I needed that title.

“I could really do with a good break, a chance to fight somebody like (Liverpool’s) Paul Smith on an Eddie Hearn show, for instance.

“I am not interested in fighting foreign journeymen. If I didn’t think I could hold my own with the best in this business, I wouldn’t be in the sport now.”

Smyle had said his camp had been planning to organise a coach from his native Leicester to bring supporters to Sheffield City Hall for the fight.

The bill for the weekend show includes Waleed Din in his second fight since losing the Commonwealth flyweight title fight to Thomas Essomba. Din is looking for his ninth win in 10 outings.

The athletic super middleweight Nicolie Campbell hopes to bounce back from his first defeat, to Christian Hoskin Gomez, last November. While another Sheffielder, super flyweight Kyle Yousaf goes hunting his eighth straight win.