According to Fox Sports, rising Australian boxing star Jeff Horn has suffered an injury in training and he will be unable to go forward with a planned fight against former world champion Randall Bailey on March 2nd in Brisbane.

Horn, currently the No.7 contender for the WBO welterweight crown which is presently vacant., suffered an injury during a sparring session on Thursday night.

The fight has now been pushed back to the same venue and location, now on April 27 - only if doctors clear him for the bout.

Horn was badly injured sparring with Simon Cooper, according to head trainer Glenn Rushton. A punch landed right on Horn's throat in a freak accident. The boxer won't be able to spar for at least five weeks.

"Jeff was a bit flat after a trip to New Zealand for the Auckland 9s and in sparring took a big looping left hook on his trachea (windpipe),’’ Rushton said to Fox Sports. "It looks like the injury is a compression of the trachea and not a tear which means he won’t need surgery but we are still getting advice. The No.1 priority for me is Jeff’s health and once that’s 100 percent it is a matter of getting him back to his best as quickly as we can.’’

Bailey, 41 and still a devastating puncher, would be the biggest career test yet for the 27-year-old London Olympian, who is unbeaten in 14 fights and aspires to become a household name this year.

"We are definitely taking a bit of a risk in Jeff fighting a seasoned fighter like Randall Bailey in a high-profile homecoming bout," said promoter Dean Lonergan.

"I have to be confident Jeff can win because he has beaten his last five opponents, who were all rated inside the top 15. We've got him on a fast track to a world title shot but a loss now would definitely set us back after all the hard work we've put in. However, Jeff never disappoints and he knows a win against someone with the class of Bailey can set us up for a seriously big 2016."