Sheffield boxer fight is off after visa and '˜altercation' rumpus

A Sheffield boxer has had to pull out of a Commonwealth bantamweight title fight - but the reason behind the postponement isn't totally clear.
Muheeb Fazeldin training at Ryan Rhodes' boxing gym on London Road. Picture: Andrew RoeMuheeb Fazeldin training at Ryan Rhodes' boxing gym on London Road. Picture: Andrew Roe
Muheeb Fazeldin training at Ryan Rhodes' boxing gym on London Road. Picture: Andrew Roe

Muheeb Fazeldin was due to face Ghanaian Emmanuel Quartey at Sheffield City Hall on Saturday.

Promoter Dennis Hobson said visa problems scuppered his opponent’s UK visit.

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But at the same time rumours have surfaced that Fazeldin had been caught up in a disturbance near his home in Burngreave.

Fazeldin admitted to The Star that he had been involved in a “little” altercation, but denied he had been injured in any way.

When a rumoured version of events was put to him, he replied: “That could be right or it could be wrong, but I need to ring my solicitor to see if I can speak to the papers.”

Hobson insists Quartey was unable to secure the correct paperwork, so the contest has been shelved.

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The show still goes ahead, with Wisewood’s Sheedy headlining in a Commonwealth middleweight title eliminator against Belfast’s Alfredo Meli.

Fazeldin said he was “depressed and stressed” his fight could not go on, saying it was annoying fighters like Doncaster’s Jason Cunningham would not fight him.

“I was excited about having this (Quartey) fight, but it would be better for everyone if a British fighter would get in with me.”

Hobson said: “This is one of the most frustrating fights that I’ve tried to make. We’ve been trying to get this visa sorted but it hasn’t happened, and we thought we’d done an alternative deal with Cunningham which is all part of the saga.

“Muheeb is obviously frustrated and so am I.

“Sometimes title fights aren’t straightforward but this definitely hasn’t been.”