By Keith Idec

Kendall Holt’s fight scheduled for Friday night against Octavio Navarez in Miami, Okla., has been canceled.

Holt, a Paterson, N.J. native, had verbally agreed to meet the Nicaraguan journeyman in a non-televised, eight-round junior welterweight bout, but a representative for Al Haymon informed Holt’s Clifton, N.J.-based attorney, Patrick English, today that the fight against Navarez (7-9-1, 4 KOs)  was canceled for undisclosed reasons. Holt, 29, declined to comment on the situation, other than to say that he is “disappointed” that he won’t fight Friday night following seven weeks of hard training at the Passaic PAL boxing gym for what was designed to be a fight that would’ve helped him bounce back from the most discouraging defeat of the former WBO junior welterweight champion’s nine-year pro career.

Holt  (25-4, 13 KOs) hasn’t fought since suffering a one-sided, six-round TKO defeat to 14-1 underdog Kaizer Mabuza (23-6-3, 14 KOs) on Feb. 28 in Atlantic City. That loss cost Holt, a guaranteed shot at the IBF’s junior welterweight title, since won by undefeated St. Louis native Devon Alexander (21-0, 13 KOs).

Top Rank Inc. exercised an option to terminate Holt’s four-year promotional contract after Mabuza beat him. He hasn’t signed with another promoter, but the Woodland Park resident had hoped working with the extremely influential Haymon on a handshake basis eventually would’ve helped him land more meaningful fights.

Haymon could not be reached for comment. Though Friday’s “ShoBox: The New Generation” broadcast will be part of a Gary Shaw Productions date with the network, Haymon’s company is essentially coordinating the show.

Haymon is an adviser to former light heavyweight champ Antonio Tarver (27-6, 19 KOs), who will encounter Nagy Aguilera (16-4, 11 KOs), of Newburgh, N.Y., in the 10-round main event at Buffalo Run Casino. The 41-year-old Tarver, of Tampa, Fla., also serves as a color commentator for “ShoBox” telecasts.

Keith Idec covers boxing for The Record and Herald News, of Woodland Park, N.J., and BoxingScene.com.