By Elliot Foster

Tommy Martin will not make his ring return next weekend.

The former English and WBA Continental champion (13-1, 5 KOs) was scheduled to come back from defeat on July 30 at Leeds’ First Direct Arena.

Martin would have been fighting for the first time since being stopped by John Wayne Hibbert in January, as part of the undercard to Josh Warrington’s WBC International featherweight title defence against former world title challenger Patrick Hyland.

But the 22-year-old St Neots-based super-lightweight has been forced out of his fight after picking up an injury in training.

He revealed the news via his Facebook page on Wednesday, writing: “It is with much regret that I have to announce that I am off the Leeds bill in less than two weeks’ time.

“It was a great camp but [on Tuesday] in training I picked up a little niggle and my team have decided it is best to pull me out as we have a big opportunity in place for September and they can’t risk me getting injured.”

Boxing Scene understands that Martin’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has secured his charge a meaningful title fight and it is expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks that the fight will take place on September 10 at London’s O2 Arena, as part of the undercard to Gennady Golovkin’s Super WBA, WBC, IBF and IBO middleweight world title defence against IBF welterweight ruler Kell Brook, which will be screened exclusively live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and HBO in the States.

“I can’t apologise to you all enough,” Martin continued, “and as you can imagine I’m beyond gutted.

“But trust me, with every cloud there is a silver lining.”

The withdrawal of Martin from the card leaves Matchroom Sport’s summer boxing bonanza, which is billed ‘Leeds Rumble’, with 14 fights scheduled.

The vacant WBC Silver lightweight title fight between Olympic gold medallist Luke Campbell and former IBF super-featherweight world champion Argenis Mendez is set to provide the chief support, while the undercard is stacked with talent as Belfast bantamweight Ryan Burnett defends his WBC International crown and heavyweight pair Dillian Whyte and Dave Allen meet for the vacant WBC International belt.

Elsewhere, Tyrone Nurse and Tommy Coyle meet in a mouthwatering super-lightweight clash for the former’s prestigious British title, Frankie Gavin and Sam Eggington feature in separate contests ahead of a local derby in Birmingham in October and Gamal Yafai defends his Commonwealth bantamweight strap against former British super-bantamweight title challenger Josh Wale.

And there is action for Darren Tetley, Connor Seymour and former Team GB star Felix Cash, while Jake Ball and Reece Mould will look to keep up their undefeated ledgers alongside Commonwealth Games gold medallist Scott Fitzgerald.