Why Shakur Stevenson opponent was pulled out from fight as late replacement announced

The American has been removed from the highly-anticipated card, with Josh Padley stepping in for the fight ahead of Artur Beterbiev v Dmitry Bivol 2 and Daniel Dubois v Joseph Parker

Floyd Schofield Jr has been pulled from his blockbuster WBC lightweight world title fight against Shakur Stevenson on Saturday with Josh Padley confirmed as a late replacement.

The American was due to clash with Stevenson on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev v Dmitry Bivol 2 on Saturday in Saudi Arabia, with Daniel Dubois also defending his heavyweight world title against Joseph Parker.

But the 22-year-old failed to show up at the grand arrivals on and has now been officially withdraw after his father shared a picture of his son in a hospital bed.

"As a parent I am overwhelmed. People can be cruel and evil. The comeback will be major. No-one ducks a fight with Mr Pillow Hands," he said.

No further details have been revealed, but Schofield Jr’s father denied his son was "ducking" the fight, with promoter Frank Warren backing the British Boxing Board of Control’s decision.

“He's not my fighter, but all I know the Board of Control, he went to hospital and underwent some tests, as a result, the Board of Control, and I think quite rightly, made the decision he shouldn't be able to fight,” Warren told The Ring Magazine.

Schofield Jr will not feature on Saturday’s card (Getty Images)

“If somebody had been to hospital and came out and said they're OK, and something went wrong, how do we explain that away as a sport, and that's it. He made a few statements, I've seen that stuff, but at the end of the day, the Board's decision, that's where we are."

Stevenson remained defiant despite the disappointing news and will still feature on the blockbuster card against the up-and-coming Padley.

Shakur Stevenson poses for a portrait (Getty Images)

"I'm going to catch you all Saturday," Stevenson said "I still got a job to do, [I don't] got time for the trolls, I'm locked in."

Padley was the preferred option ahead of Cuba’s Jadier Herrera, with the huge opportunity emerging after the unbeaten fighter pulled off a major upset when he defeated the highly-rated talent Mark Chamberlain last September.