Farrag Devastated as Braithwaite Vanishes, Leaving Rematch in Limbo

Ryan Farrag is left feeling "devastated" after his highly anticipated rematch with Marcel Braithwaite was scrapped just days before the fight, with Braithwaite seemingly disappearing from the boxing scene. The two Scousers were set to lock horns for the vacant IBO Inter-Continental super-flyweight title at the Liverpool Olympia on Saturday night. However, Farrag will now face Adam Yahaya after Braithwaite’s inexplicable absence.

The original main event was a rematch of the thrilling encounter between Farrag and Braithwaite back in June 2023, which saw Braithwaite emerge victorious. Farrag, who had been eagerly anticipating the opportunity to avenge his defeat, was in peak condition following a successful outing against Quaise Khademi in his previous fight. He revealed that he had been working diligently in preparation for the rematch and was confident of delivering a superior performance this time around.

“Camp has gone great, and I have just been building from the last fight really,” Farrag, managed by Stephen Vaughan, told Blockone Sports Boxing. “I had a good performance against Quaise Khademi, and it is nice to be back in the gym. It is not the fight we wanted, but it will be nice to go out and put on a performance again.”

However, Farrag’s hopes were dashed when Braithwaite failed to communicate with his team and seemingly vanished without a trace. Farrag described the situation as "mad", saying: "He didn’t answer his phone when Ste phoned him, and if you have seen that Homer Simpson meme where he goes back into the bush, that is what I have got in my head. He has just disappeared. No one has heard from him. I even messaged him myself, just saying what is happening and are you taking the fight or pulling out."

“He just blanked my message and has deleted his Instagram [account]. On one side, I hope the lad is alright because I have never seen this before in boxing. It is a mad one, but the other side of me is just like I wanted that fight, and that first fight I had a lot of time out of the ring, and we had a great fight. I have been putting some serious work in recently, and I was expecting a much better performance from myself this time around. I am devastated.”

Despite the disappointment, Farrag remains determined to showcase his skills against Yahaya, while the spotlight shifts to the new main event: Abdul Khan versus John Edwardson. Edwardson, who is looking to regain momentum after a recent defeat, is motivated by the opportunity to bring home the Commonwealth silver super-featherweight title. He expressed his determination to secure the belt, stating that winning is his ultimate goal, and that he is prepared to go the full ten rounds with Khan.

“When I first got offered this fight and there was no belt, they mentioned money, and I said it isn’t about the money,” he explained. “If I need more money, I would just work more hours at work. But when they come back and say there is a belt [on the line], if I can win a belt, that is something to bring home and show the kids. I wouldn’t go into any fight not to win. You go into any fight wanting to win. I’ll be coming to try and mix it for the 10 rounds.”

The undercard features fellow Liverpool fighters Bryan Collins, James Heneghan, Hakeem Palmer, and Ethan Brown, adding to the local flavour of the event. The fight night at the Liverpool Olympia promises to be a thrilling spectacle for boxing fans, regardless of the unexpected turn of events that have left Farrag disappointed and Braithwaite's future in boxing uncertain. The event will be broadcast live on DAZN.