IBF cruiserweight champion Yuniel Dorticós has been a victim of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Cuban puncher has been inactive since June of 2019, when he knocked out Andrew Tabiti in their semi-final bout in the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight tournament.

Dorticos is going to face Mairis Briedis in the finals of the WBSS tourney.

Their fight has already been postponed on two occasions due to the pandemic raging forward since the month of March. And even prior to that, the bout had been pushed back two times.

Dorticos remains hopeful that his bout with Briedis can take place before the end of the year.

At the moment he's staying in shape by training hard with head coach Pedro Roque, because the confirmation of his new date with Briedis could come at any time.

"[Being in isolation for months has] been very tough, not just for me, but for the boxing world and all people. This virus has paralyzed everything, but we have kept training, sometimes soft, sometimes hard. But here you see me in the gym, this is the food and my breakfast. I'm waiting for the date to come and fight," Dorticos told George Ebro.

"[These postponements would] mentally affect any boxer. It's not going to affect me to the point of getting me down, but all of the ups and downs was a little upsetting and I was a little worried about falling short when getting into training. But [my trainer] knows how to assimilate, he knows what he's doing. One day we would run hard and the next day we walked.'

"This kind of wait brings despair, but I'm actually calm. I want to fight. I'm a world champion and the whole world knows it. What's missing is to prove who the 'Knockout Doctor' is when the day comes. I know what it means to be quarantined in the house, but soon there will be a date and soon the virus will go away as well and the world will be free of all this..... with a new champion, with the Muhammad Ali Trophy."