Mystery solved over Sheffield promoter's scrapped show?

His flamboyant and confident nature exudes whenever he is interviewed or speaks about his beloved GBM Sports stable and the company's aspirations.

But the Sheffield businessman is keeping his counsel over the exact reason why his much vaunted stadium show in Galway - a potentially exciting break into the Irish fight scene - was scrapped.

The plan had been to host local southpaw Kieran Molloy, who was to compete for a WBA European Welterweight Championship title against Kaisee Benjamin.

With his media team and TV commentator Adam Smith on site and broadcasters DAZN more than happy with the venue, Asif had posed alongside the protagonists at the Pearse Stadium, nailed down most of the logistics, and was ready for another back-to-back outdoor show, following Terri Harper's win over Natalie Zimmerman at Doncaster Rovers' ground.

On June 9, though - 19 days before the show was due to open - GBM pulled the plug due to "circumstances beyond our control."

That didn't chime with Molloy's reading of the situation.

He'd sold 2,100 tickets in five days and was "devastated" that GBM had taken the action, seemingly out of the blue.

Asif moved on quickly, announcing the card would now take place in Hull on the same June 28 date.

But without Molloy.

The Abbeydale man doesn't like publicly being drawn into controversies, and has only hinted at his reasoning.

In a YouTube interview, he said he'd enjoyed investing in Molloy (a five-fight contract) but "couldn't agree something long term."

He said both sides had lost out.

Later, in a conversation about another Irish boxer, Sean McComb, he said the Belfast super lightweight was an example of someone who had "committed to me, long term."

When that happens, Asif said, he'd respond with his own allegiance.

"I cannot afford to commit to people without long-term assurance - he has given me a long-term plan," he said.

That implies that he felt Molloy was heading into the arms of a rival promoter.

When The Star put that suggestion to him, Izzy was unusually hesitant to...well, commit.

Whatever happened, happened "quite late" and an agreement could not be reached.

And the show, which would have cost GBM "hundreds of thousands" to stage, was binned.

Izzy has not got the financial clout of the likes of Matchroom and Queensberry Promotions, so says he has to protect GBM with the right decisions, both short and long term.

The rumpus has been a rare blot on Izzy's image - recently, he won an IBF award in Atlantic City, USA, for being the most active promoter in Europe.

"I see this as recognition of the effort that my team and I put in every day in order to be the best promotion possible" he said.

"It was a great night, hopefully it will have strengthened our relationship with the IBF.

"Bernard Hopkins (multiple world championship winner) took my number, which can't be bad!"