Tim Tszyu won’t be facing Erickson Lubin in September after the purse bid scheduled for July 30 was scrapped by the IBF.
According to journalist Dan Rafael, Lubin informed the sanctioning body he was medically unfit and wouldn’t be ready to fight on the proposed September 22 date.
Lubin was the front-runner to face Tszyu in what would have been an IBF title eliminator before “The Hammer” withdrew from the process, despite teasing a fight announcement on social media earlier this month.
MORE: Justis Huni's School of Hard Knocks: Heavyweight rising star vows to learn from tough lesson
It’s the third such time plans to match up the two super welterweight stars have fallen over, leaving the Tszyu camp frustrated to say the least.
“What do you do? Bloody hell, disappointing again,” Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings told Sporting News, confirming Lubin was out of the picture.
“I won’t use the words I’d like to use but it’s very disappointing. This is a bit of a pattern.
“This is the third opportunity and when you get the sense that they’re interested in it and you pursue it and you do the work and then for whatever reason it doesn’t happen, it’s like what was the point of it all?
“People call it ducking, running, hiding. Call it what you like, they’ll always find a justifiable reason but getting some of these guys into the ring with Tim Tszyu is increasingly more and more difficult and we expect that at the elite level but not as regularly as this.”
Team Tszyu had reached initially reached out to Lubin last year but negotiations fell over, while the 28-year-old was also in the box seat to face Tszyu in his Las Vegas debut earlier this year before talks again hit a stumbling block, seeing Keith Thurman step in.
Tszyu’s promoters last week announced the former WBO champion at 154-pounds would be returning to action in Australia on September 22.
A spokesperson for No Limit Boxing confirmed the intention is still for Tszyu to fight in Australia on that date, although they conceded it was now in the hands of the IBF to order a new opponent for the Sydneysider.
Among the list of potential candidates includes Jesus Ramos, Xander Zayas and Jack Culcay.
Russia's Bakhram Murtazaliev currently holds the IBF title at super welterweight and will await the winner out of Tszyu and his next opponent.
Tszyu hasn't fought since dropping his WBO belt to Sebastian Fundora in Las Vegas back in March.
The 29-year-old suffered a nasty cut to his head via an accidental elbow at end of the second round, forcing him to fight the remaining 30 minutes with significantly impaired vision.
Tszyu had been booked to face Vergil Ortiz in Los Angeles on August 3 but the cut on his head hadn't sufficiently healed in time to begin his preparations.
Last week, Tszyu jetted off to Vegas alongside his brother Nikita as they ready themselves for their next outings, although Tim will now be preparing without a specific opponent in mind.