Israil Madrimov has withdrawn from his December 21 fight against Serhii Bohachuk in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, due to a diagnosis of acute bronchitis. The bout, which was set to be the co-main event of the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury rematch, now sees British fighter Ishmael Davis stepping in as a replacement.
Madrimov was coming off a grueling loss to Terence Crawford in August. Turki Alalshikh confirmed the withdrawal on social media, stating that Madrimov will now focus on recovering ahead of his February 22 clash with Vergil Ortiz.
Serhii Bohachuk remains undeterred. His promoter, Tom Loeffler, expressed disappointment over the change but praised Bohachuk's readiness to adapt. "Serhii didn’t hesitate to agree to fight Ishmael Davis," Loeffler said. "He’s eager to showcase his skills and prove he’s one of the best in the division."
The change has fueled skepticism that Madrimov’s schedule, which initially included two tough fights within two months, was overly ambitious. Ortiz’s trainer, Robert Garcia, had earlier voiced doubts about Madrimov taking on such a demanding timeline, calling it "hard to believe."
Davis, a 29-year-old from Leeds, steps into the spotlight after his recent majority-decision loss to Josh Kelly in September.
Read more about the upcoming Usyk vs. Fury 2 event here.
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