Joel McIntyre explains late South Parade Pier headline act bout cancellation and reveals 'massive news' for Chad Sugden summer showdown

Joel McIntyre experienced the highs and lows of boxing over a crazy few days - without even stepping into the ring.
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The Leigh Park light-heavyweight discovered the British Boxing Board of Control had sanctioned his July showdown with Chad Sugden in Newark for the vacant English title.

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But upon McIntyre's arrival at the pre-fight weigh-in hours before the contest, there was no sign of the 19-4 fighter’s scheduled opponent.

Joel McIntyre will face Chad Sugden for the vacant English light-heavyweight title in July Picture: Barry ZeeJoel McIntyre will face Chad Sugden for the vacant English light-heavyweight title in July Picture: Barry Zee
Joel McIntyre will face Chad Sugden for the vacant English light-heavyweight title in July Picture: Barry Zee

As it turned out, Strykowski had not travelled from his native Poland and the planned main event for the show had to be scrapped.

McIntyre explained: ‘I turned up for the 4pm weigh-in (on Saturday afternoon). I spoke to the board, everyone else involved - doctor and everyone - got on the scales, weighed-in, as all is routine, basically there was no sign of the opponent.

‘The latest I've ever had someone pull-out was the day before the weigh-in, but never that late. It has happened, but never that late.

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‘You can't stress over stuff you have no control over. I did everything I had to do, came down here, no opponent - what else can I do? You can't stress about stuff you have no control over, that's one thing I have learnt.’

But there remains plenty of reason for cheer, with McIntyre now confirmed to get his shot at reclaiming the English light-heavyweight title he previously held in 2016.

Now it will arrive on the back of just 30 seconds in the ring in the past four years when he faces 12-2-1 27-year-old Sugden at Newark Showground on July 15.

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McIntyre added: ‘We've been working behind the scenes, my manager (Chris Hitching of Atlantic Promotions) has been tirelessly on the phone to lots of different people - the board (British Boxing Board of Control) - possible opponents etc.

‘So we now have a match-up planned with Chad Sugden, we have that sorted, we put that to the board and we've had confirmation they've sanctioned that for the vacant English title (light-heavyweight). That's massive good news, you know.’

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