It has been a tough 12 months for all sport, and that only looks set to continue following the fresh outbreak of coronavirus in the United Kingdom. After a rise in cases over the weekend it was revealed by Boris Johnson that the country will be going back into a full lockdown, with only essential shops open for business.
The Prime Minister’s announcement came just a day after the British Boxing Board of Control made their own announcement following the sharp rise in cases. The governing body revealed that all events that were scheduled to take place in January would be suspended.
Boxing News: Huge Fight Cancelled
January is typically a slow month for boxing with only a number of events having been planned for the month. However, there will be disappointment amongst fans, as the planned European title bout between Josh Kelly and David Avanesyan was among the fights that would be cancelled.
The fight was due to take place on the 30th January. The announcement made by the governing body admitted that they would reassess the situation later in the month before deciding on the next steps.
That means that boxing fans will need to wait until later on in the month to find out whether the governing body will call a halt to the planned bouts that are scheduled to happen in February. A fresh date will likely be put on the European title bout in due course, but it will likely be a date much later in the year following the recent announcement.
Fight fans have been waiting for a showdown between the pair for over two years, after two previous fights had been cancelled. Their 2018 engagement was called off after Kelly withdrew on the day of the fight, while the COVID pandemic cancelled their March 2020 date.
Boxing News: Other Elite Sport Continues
One of the biggest topics that sport fans in general wanted settling during the televised address by Johnson was whether the other elite sports would also be forced to close down for the foreseeable future.
However, it was revealed shortly after the speech by the British government that elite sport would be able to continue. That was the opposite stance that was taken during the first lockdown when all major sporting events were cancelled.
The decision means that the Premier League will be able to continue, with Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City gripped in a nail-biting title race. Meanwhile, one of the biggest sporting events of the year being the Cheltenham Festival also looks to be in no danger of postponement. However, it is incredibly unlikely that fans will be in attendance for the massive horse racing event.
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