The most shocking and bizarre times boxers have cancelled fights, including Joseph Parker’s spider bite
EVEN by boxing’s standards, former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker pulling out of his fight against Derek Chisora because of a SPIDER BITE was pretty bonkers.
The Kiwi was was set to meet the Finchley brawler at the O2 back in October 2019 – but was struck down with a mystery illness.
His promotion team believed it was caused from a bite by a spider – and the former WBO champ was told to rest for three weeks.
Here, SunSport takes a look at some of the more bizarre events that have led to boxers pulling out of a scheduled fights – one was even when the first bell had rung.
Andres Gutierrez fell in shower (vs Carl Frampton, 2017)
Frampton’s fight against Andres Gutierrez was cancelled 24 hours before their bout after the Mexican boxer fell in the shower.
Gutierrez suffered a deep cut to his face, as well as severe bruising to his nose and head on top of chipping two of his teeth.
The Mexican shared photos of his injuries on his personal Facebook page, apologising for having to pull out of the fight.
The fight was scheduled to take place at the SSE Arena in Belfast, but the whole event ended up being shelved.
Neeraj Goyat injured in car crash (vs Amir Khan, 2019)
The bout was set to happen in July 2019 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in an “India vs Pakistan” boxing battle.
But Goyat was unable to fight after suffering “severe injuries to his head, face and arm”.
Khan ended up fighting Aussie Billy Dib – and battered him into a fourth-round stoppage.
David Haye’s ‘freak accident’ falling on steps ( vs Tony Bellew II, 2017)
Haye pulled out of his rematch with Tony Bellew after picking up a bicep injury.
The pair were scheduled to clash for the second time on December 17, 2017 at the O2 Arena, but the bout was postponed until the following year.
It was revealed that Haye picked up the injury ‘after a freak accident during a stair conditioning session’.
He insisted he was fully recovered when he took to the ring for Part II looking for revenge for the first defeat in March 2017.
But he was blasted out of there even earlier than the first in May 2018, with the bout waved off in the fifth round.
Steve McCarthy scared of opponent’s mother (vs Tony Wilson II, 1989)
Their first fight will go down in boxing folklore for the utterly bizarre ending.
McCarthy was pummelling Wilson on the ropes when he was clubbed from behind – by his opponent’s mother carrying her high heel.
Despite being left with a gash in his head, McCarthy raised his hands in the air to celebrate. But incredibly he left to get the wound treated and the referee awarded the fight to Wilson by KO.
A rematch was scheduled some months after – but McCarthy, who died in 2017 at the age of 54, pulled out with ‘flu’.
But perhaps it was the prospect of seeing a raging Mrs Wilson again…
Curtis Harper left ring seconds after first bell over pay dispute (vs Efe Ajagba, 2018)
At the sound of the opening bell, Curtis Harper simply walked out of the ring.
It meant rising heavyweight star Efe Ajagba clocked up his sixth consecutive victory without even throwing a punch.
The bonkers stunt left fight fans in the arena stunned, with Harper immediately disqualified for leaving the ring.
There were reports Harper walked out in a protest over pay.
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Frankie Gavin foot run over by car (vs Sam Eggington, 2015)
One of Britain’s most decorated amateurs, Gavin’s professional career has been hit by numerous personal issues outside of the ring.
But he was hit, quite literally, just two weeks before his scrap with fellow Brummie Sam Eggington back in 2015.
Gavin was stepping off the kerb when a car ran over his foot.
There was unbelievably no break, but he suffered extensive bruising and had to have injections.
It put pay to the grudge match.
