WATFORD boxer Ojay Abrahams has had to pull out of the first defence of his British Masters Light Middleweight title because of injury.

He was supposed to have fought Birmingham's Jimmy Vincent on Wednesday, October 31, but a suspected trapped nerve has put paid to the fight.

Abrahams was training on Monday, October 22, when he began to feel sharp pains in his leg and when he visited a doctor on Wednesday, he was told the fight would have to be postponed.

The doctor's letter means he will retain his title.

He said: "I expect I will be out for a few weeks, but that is boxing. It is something that happens now and again but at least I have covered myself with a doctor's letter.

"I have been training for nine weeks. I have been running and running and and constantly training and with the pressure of the constant training, it is just the body's way of telling me to slow down."

He added: "I am disappointed but once the pain started, I knew there was no chance of the fight going ahead. As my great idol, Muhammad Ali, would say, I shall return."

October 27, 2001 14:32