Williams pulls out of title fight

Danny Williams has pulled out of tonight’s British heavyweight title challenge to Matt Skelton citing a bout of flu.

Williams informed promoter Frank Warren late last night of his withdrawal and his place will now be taken by Chesterfield fighter Mark Krence.

Warren reacted furiously today to Williams’ decision as the fight in Bolton was to herald the return of professional boxing to terrestrial television with ITV.

Warren told the Press Association: “I am absolutely disgusted and I will not be promoting any more fights involving Danny Williams.

“I had a phone call from his wife last night saying he had been in bed with flu all week despite him having weighed in yesterday and being examined by the doctor.

“The situation is totally unacceptable. If he has been in bed all week he should have informed me. But I believe the real reason is that his bottle has gone and it is dreadful.”

Williams had incurred the wrath of Warren for missing Thursday’s final press conference and then tipped the scales at a career-heaviest 20st 3lbs at yesterday’s weigh-in.

Skelton’s manager Frank Maloney accused Williams of strapping weights beneath his tracksuit bottoms which he refused to remove, and added: “Williams is trying to play mind games and it will not work.”

Even Williams’ trainer Jim McDonnell admitted he had no idea anything was wrong until his fighter informed him he was withdrawing last night.

McDonnell said: “Danny prepared properly for the fight and he was in great shape but he took a couple of days out of the gym last week which I wasn’t aware of.

“Apparently he took some medication for flu and had two days in bed, then he went for a run and felt really bad.

“His family was aware of the situation but he never mentioned anything to me and he believed he was getting better this week. He just felt yesterday that he still wasn’t 100% and he just wasn’t prepared to risk it.

“Obviously it’s a massive frustration and a major disappointment to Frank. You can understand why he is angry because this was going to be the fight which brought boxing back onto ITV.”

Amir Khan’s professional debut against David Bailey on the same bill will go ahead as planned.