READING boxer Tamuka Mucha’s bid for an English title has been dashed again.

The exciting welterweight has been forced to pull out of his televised showdown with Freddy Kiwitt at London’s York Hall this Friday due to illness.

The news is a major setback in Mucha’s bid to one day fight for a British belt.

The 24-year-old confirmed his clash with Kiwitt is off on social media.

“I’m truly gutted and sorry to announce that my English title fight against Freddy Kiwitt this Friday is called off,” Mucha tweeted.

“I contracted a very serious chest infection on Monday and have struggled to shake it off since – and with it being such a big fight, my team feel that it would be a huge and unprofessional risk to go into the fight with my health and fitness at less than 100 per cent.

“I would like to extend my apologies to Freddy Kiwitt, his team and Haymaker Boxing for any inconvenience this has caused.”

Mucha was originally scheduled to take on Londoner John O’Donnell, who boasts an impressive record of 32 wins from 34 professional fights.

The Reading star had been sparring with highly-rated WBC international champion Josh Taylor in preparation for the fight.


He had also been working hard under trainer Tom Joyce at Whitley Amateur Boxing Club.

But 32-year-old O’Donnell pulled out last week – the second time he has done so in the space of nine months.

Mucha’s camp had lined up 27-year-old German Kiwitt as a reserve and the pair were set to clash at the famous Bethnall Green venue.

But Zimbabwe-born Mucha – full name Tamuka Muchapondwa – has now withdrawn himself.

It is thought Barry McGuigan’s Cyclone Promotions are keen to schedule another English title fight for Mucha, who has already set his sights on a British title showdown with Rio 2016 Olympian, Josh Kelly.

Kelly’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, recently hinted the two could meet on the biggest fight card of the year, the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s fight with Joseph Parker at the Principality Stadium on Saturday, March 31.

However, that now looks highly unlikely following Mucha’s recent illness.

Nevertheless, Mucha added: “I’ll still be tuning into Dave on Friday night as I believe it’s a great show with some cracking fights on the schedule.”

Mucha suffered his first defeat in 16 professional fights last time out with a duboius points loss to Serge Ambomo last May.

Mucha is urging those who purchased tickets to the fight this Friday to contact him via twitter regarding a refund via @TamukaMucha.