Lee McAllister was frustrated after his Professional Boxing Council double title fight preparations descended into farce yesterday.
The Aberdeen boxer was due to fight Justice Addy for the PBC Commonwealth and international super-welterweight titles at the city’s Beach Ballroom this evening.
But the Ghanaian failed to obtain a visa for the contest and his replacement Ishmael Tetteh, also from Ghana, failed to make the weight for the title fight.
Tetteh, who has won 34 of his 49 contests, was an astonishing 11lb overweight, while McAllister weighed in at a perfect 11 stone.
Nathan Beattie’s opponent Tackie Annan also failed to make the weight for the PBC silver international lightweight cham- pionship contest on tonight’s undercard.
Both fights could still go ahead but as Tetteh and Annan failed to make the weight, only McAllister and Beattie will be able to claim the belts should they emerge victorious.
McAllister, who branded Tetteh and Annan “unprofessional” after the weigh-in at the Aberdeen Northern Hotel, said last-minute replacements for both fighters could take to the ring this evening.
He said: “I have actually got two draft-ins who are on the weight and ready to fight just in case this happened. I found out about a week-and-a-half ago that there were problems with Justice Addy getting a visa.
“We had Ishmael in the background in case that happened. This wasn’t the fight I wanted because Ishmael is a very awkward customer and a tough guy.
“Justice is a good boxer, but Ishmael has come for a scrap. It will be an interesting night.
“He has fought at bigger weights and challenged for a Commonwealth title at super-middleweight. He is a lot bigger than me but my speed will take over.
“I will get the win. I will fight anyone from lightweight to heavyweight.”
Tetteh was involved in a controversial fight on his last trip to the United Kingdom when he took on Luke Blackledge for the Commonwealth super-middleweight title in May last year.
He was fined £2,500 for an “unsatisfactory ending” to the fight after allowing himself to be counted out by the referee before immediately rising to his feet after the count of 10.
Tetteh has won all three of his fights since that defeat in Bolton.
Beattie’s opponent Annan was no closer to making the weight, arriving in Aberdeen a stone overweight. Beattie said: “He knew the weight he had to come in at. I made the weight with no bother.
“I have trained hard for the fight and I’ll be going all-out for the victory to claim the belt.”