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Darren Barker has been ruled out his eagerly awaited comeback on September 8 after suffering an arm injury.
Barker, who has not fought since his world title defeat against Sergio Martinez last October due to hip surgery, has been told to rest for a month after damaging tendons in his arm.
IBF Inter-Continental middleweight title fight with Italian Simone Rotolo is therefore off, leaving Lee Purdy to provide chief support to headline fight Tony Bellew vs Edison Miranda at Alexandra Palace in north London.
The former British champion with take on the unbeaten Gumersindo Carrasco for the IBF International welterweight strap - a title stablemate Kell Brook has recently vacated.
It is a huge step up for Purdy, who lost his British title to veteran Colin Lynes last year, although he has recorded two stoppage victories in 2012 and had been due to defend his English belt on September 8.
"It's a fantastic opportunity for Lee and it promises to be a great fight against Carrasco, who brings a great knockout record to London," said promoter Eddie Hearn.
"Lee is always in exciting fights and I'm sure that this occasion will bring the best out of him and the fans will love it, you only have to watch Carrasco on the internet to see what kind of war this is going to be.
"I am gutted for Darren as he's been looking great in training and I know he was ready to get back to what he does best.
"The only good news is that it is a new injury rather than an aggravation of an old injury and we hope he will be back in action very soon."
http://www1.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/8022901/Jinxed-Barker-ruled-out
Barker, who has not fought since his world title defeat against Sergio Martinez last October due to hip surgery, has been told to rest for a month after damaging tendons in his arm.
IBF Inter-Continental middleweight title fight with Italian Simone Rotolo is therefore off, leaving Lee Purdy to provide chief support to headline fight Tony Bellew vs Edison Miranda at Alexandra Palace in north London.
The former British champion with take on the unbeaten Gumersindo Carrasco for the IBF International welterweight strap - a title stablemate Kell Brook has recently vacated.
It is a huge step up for Purdy, who lost his British title to veteran Colin Lynes last year, although he has recorded two stoppage victories in 2012 and had been due to defend his English belt on September 8.
"It's a fantastic opportunity for Lee and it promises to be a great fight against Carrasco, who brings a great knockout record to London," said promoter Eddie Hearn.
"Lee is always in exciting fights and I'm sure that this occasion will bring the best out of him and the fans will love it, you only have to watch Carrasco on the internet to see what kind of war this is going to be.
"I am gutted for Darren as he's been looking great in training and I know he was ready to get back to what he does best.
"The only good news is that it is a new injury rather than an aggravation of an old injury and we hope he will be back in action very soon."
http://www1.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/8022901/Jinxed-Barker-ruled-out
