Carl Frampton's bout against Andres Gutierrez was called off at the 11th hour on Friday night after the Mexican visitor reportedly suffered an accident.
After a sensational day of drama, it had appeared that the featherweight fight was due to go ahead in Belfast on Saturday night despite Frampton failing to make the 126lb featherweight limit earlier on Friday
The two-weight world champion had weighed in one pound over the limit, but opted against taking to the scales for a second time in an effort to shed his excess pound and instead sacrificed the potential reward of a WBC world-title shot should he have won the fight.
Pics circulating of Gutierrez's reported injuries, believed to be from a slip in the shower... #FramptonGutierrez https://t.co/oySPtGLXmr
— Ciarán Gallagher (@Ciaran_Gally) July 28, 2017
While that decision had looked set to ensure the fight would go ahead, matters took a bizarre twist late on Friday night as 24-year-old Gutierrez reportedly suffered an accident in his Belfast hotel room.
A late statement from Barry McGuigan’s promotional outfit confirmed the shock call.
The statement read: “Cyclone Promotions and The SSE Arena regret to announce that the “Return of The Jackal” event scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday 29th July, has been cancelled due to an accident to Andres Gutierrez.
“It is hoped that the event will be re-scheduled but ticket holders are advised to retain their tickets and contact point of purchase for further information.”
A source close to the situation said: “He went back to his hotel and he’s gone over and slipped in his bathroom.
“He smashed his face in the shower and literally cut his nose, got a huge laceration on his chin and he’s knocked two if his front teeth out. It’s brutal.
“You couldn’t make it up, but it’s absolutely devastating.
“He was getting into the shower and he fell forward and slipped straight on his face against the shower.”
Gutierrez’s team could not be reached for comment on Friday night.
It is understood Frampton’s manager Barry McGuigan and his team had negotiated financial compensation between the fighters’ respective purses following the weight issue, as is standard after such mishaps to ensure the fight would go ahead after Frampton failed to make weight.
“I tried everything I could to cut down, but unfortunately, my body just wouldn’t allow it in the end,” Frampton said in a statement ahead of the bout, which was due to act as an eliminator for a shot at WBC world champion Gary Russell Jr.
Belfast native Frampton struggled to shift weight after six months out of the ring since his January WBA world title rematch defeat to Leo Santa Cruz.
It is not yet known if the bout will be rescheduled.
