Upcoming British cruiserweight Viddal Riley pulled out of the Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr event. The undefeated fighter was to enter the ring in the first main card fight of the evening against former MMA fighter Rashad Coulter. However, he released a statement on his Instagram confirming he would pull out because of an injury.

Riley said, “I am no longer fighting this Saturday on the #TysonJones undercard. With a severe reoccurring back injury, my team and I have decided I am not fit to fight this weekend. A video will be out on my channel shortly. I’m Sorry & Thank you to all my TRUE supporters.”

This is devastating news for the young fighter who expressed his excitement to fight on the same card as his idol Roy Jones Jr.

Many tip Riley to become a world champion; even his trainer Jeff Mayweather believes so, and there is a lot of excitement around his future. He rose to fame as famous YouTuber KSI’s trainer. However, he has signed with the Mayweather Promotions because of KSI’s training camp for Logan Paul. His manager Amer Abdallah also said they found a replacement.

READ: Floyd Mayweather is Fighting ‘The Loser’ – Viddal Riley

Who is the replacement for Viddal Riley in the event?

The good news for fans is that the fight will go ahead with a new fighter. Abdallah announced on his Instagram that undefeated heavyweight Hasim Rahman Jr, son of former heavyweight world champion Hasim Rahman, will replace Riley. This will keep fans happy as the replacement is someone who is as talented and exciting as Riley.

Some fans may feel this will reduce the lure of the event, while others may feel it will increase it. It is sure that Viddal Riley’s large following will be a loss on the viewership numbers. However, considering who is fighting on the main event, it may not be such a big loss. What do you make of this news?