By Shaun Brown
This Saturday’s British heavyweight title eliminator between Gary Cornish 18-0 (10 KOs) and Ian Lewison 10-2-1 (6 KOs) is off.
Instead, Larry Olubamiwo 10-7 (9 KOs) steps in at late notice to replace the injured Lewison in what will now be a ten-round contest.
Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora will contest the vacant British heavyweight title in a rearranged match on Nov 22.
The unbeaten Cornish had been looking to take his first step up in class against the 32-year-old Lewison who also withdrew from a contest against Eddie Chambers, with an injury, earlier this year.
Olubamiwo is sadly best known for being banned from boxing in 2012 after testing positive for the blood-boosting substance EPO following a fight with Sam Sexton in the January of that year. He would later admit to using 13 banned substances over a six-year period. Olubamiwo was subsequently given his boxing licence back in 2013 after having his four-year ban slashed to just one.
The 35-year-old ‘War Machine’ still presents a step up for Scotland’s Cornish who will be fighting in front of home support at the Lagoon Leisure Centre in Paisley.
The chief supporting bout does, however, provide an intriguing all-Scottish British light middleweight title eliminator between John Thain 11-1 (1 KO) and Kris Carslaw 20-5 (4 KOs). The winner will likely be placed in a final eliminator against the ever improving Liam Williams later this year. Current champion, Liam Smith faces Nav Mansouri on Oct 25 in Liverpool and a win for Smith would see him keep the belt outright as he would have fulfilled the three defence rule enabling a fighter to get the Lonsdale belt for keeps.
Shaun Brown is the UK Editor at Boxing Scene and a contributor to Boxing Monthly. He can be contacted at sbrownboxing@gmail.com with any news, views or stories you may have.
