An upcoming summertime DAZN show is now without its previously scheduled chief support.
BoxingScene.com has learned that Montana Love has suffered an undisclosed injury which has forced a postponement of his planned grudge match versus Brooklyn’s Richardson Hitchins. The bout was due to serve as the co-feature of the July 15 DAZN card headlined by the Alycia Baumgardner-Christina Linardatou rematch from Masonic Temple in Detroit, Michigan.
Representatives from Matchroom, DAZN and the respective camps of Hitchins and Love did not respond to inquiries seeking comment. However, Boxing Scene has additionally learned that it is expected for Hitchins-Love to be rescheduled in the coming weeks.
The rest of the show will proceed as planned, though it is not immediately known if a new bout will be sought to replace or if an undercard fight will move up to the penultimate slot.
Two-time Olympic Gold medalist Andy Cruz is due to make his pro debut versus former title challenger Juan Carlos Burgos. Also confirmed for the event is a welterweight contest between 2016 Olympic Bronze medalist and unbeaten middleweight Souleymane Cissokho (16-0, 9KOs) and Detroit’s Janelson Figueroa Bocachica (17-1-1, 11KOs).
Hitchins (16-0, 7KOs) signed a multi-fight deal with Matchroom last September, which included an eventual fight with Love (18-1-1, 9KOs). An instant rivalry was born, as they had plenty to say to and about each other while they shared a card last November 12 in Love’s hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. Hitchins won his bout in an eighth-round stoppage of Puerto Rico’s Yomar Alamo on the undercard.
Love’s homecoming headliner took a disastrous turn as he was disqualified in the fifth round of his wild fight versus Australia’s Steve Spark. Hitchins added a ten-round win over unbeaten John Bauza on February 4 at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York City. Love has not fought since the loss to Spark.
The still-intact headliner sees Baumgardner (14-1, 7KOs) get a long overdue hometown main event. The undisputed junior lightweight champion made a point to select Linardatou (14-2, 6KOs) as her challenger, in a bid to avenge her lone career defeat five years ago nearly to the day of their upcoming rematch.
Baumgardner will attempt her fourth overall title defense and her first since fully unifying the division in a ten-round, unanimous decision over Elhem Mekhaled on February 4 in New York City.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox