The February 22nd mega card in Saudi Arabia just took a massive hit. What was supposed to be a night filled with seven title or ‘Interim’ title fights, now has one fight short. Why? According to the latest reports, rising star Floyd Schofield Jr. had to pull out of his fight against WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson at the eleventh hour.

Though there were no hints something of this sort was about to happen, eyebrows were raised when Schofield Jr. was a no-show for the grand arrivals on Tuesday. If the news of ‘Kid Austin’s withdrawal wasn’t wild enough, it came hand-in-hand with allegations of poisoning. Schofield’s X account, widely believed to be run by his father, wrote in a now-deleted tweet, “They poisoned my son.”

He also added that a masseuse associated with Shakur Stevenson’s team “wiped a cream on my son.” This was followed by a legal threat from Stevenson’s co-manager Josh Dubin, who told Boxing Scene, “This fighter [Schofield] should get advised on the defamation laws in our country. Saying these things that slander Shakur does not come without legal consequences.” 

“Saying that his food was poisoned will not go unrecognized. [Schofield] is being put on notice right now,” he added. “People might think there’s a kernel of truth in these lies [regarding the poisoning] by his father, when it seems to be a way for him to make an excuse he’s not going to fight.” Hours after the report hit the web, Floyd Schofield Sr. presented proof on social media.

Sharing a clip of ‘Kid Austin’ lying unconscious in a hospital bed, Schofield Sr. wrote, “As a parent I am overwhelmed. People can be cruel and evil. The comeback will be major. NO ONE DUCK a FIGHT WITH MR. PILLOW HANDS!!!” With Schofield officially pulling out of the fight, the question remains—will Stevenson still compete? And if so, against whom?

Shakur Stevenson may fight a British opponent after Floyd Schofield pulled out

Shakur Stevenson may face Britain’s Josh Padley after Floyd Schofield withdrew from their WBC lightweight title fight, citing illness amid unverified poisoning claims. The bout was set to take place this weekend in Saudi Arabia, but Schofield’s sudden exit has left Stevenson needing a last-minute opponent.

Padley, an unbeaten fighter with a 15–0 record, recently pulled off a shocking upset over Mark Chamberlain on the undercard of Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois. Now, he steps up for a massive challenge against one of boxing’s elite champions.

This fight will feature on the undercard of a historic night, with Daniel Dubois defending his IBF heavyweight title against Joseph Parker. The event also includes Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed light-heavyweight crown, Joshua Buatsi vs. Callum Smith, and Zhilei Zhang vs. Agit Kabayel.

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That said, a heated debate is unfolding on social media over whether Schofield’s decision was a calculated move or an unfortunate turn of events. So far, there’s no concrete evidence suggesting that Schofield backed out due to fear or that Stevenson had any involvement in the alleged poisoning—but that could change as more details emerge. What’s your take on the situation?