Frankie Gavin pulls out of title fight

Birmingham's Frankie Gavin has unexpectedly pulled out of his WBO Inter-Continental title defence in a decision branded "total madness" by his promoter Frank Warren.

Hours before he was due to weigh in for tonight's welterweight contest, Gavin left his hotel in Manchester yesterday morning and left no explanation for his withdrawal.

And Warren still hasn't been provided with a reason to why Gavin isn't able to compete, with the fight all set to go ahead until his disappearance.

Warren said: "He's just gone. I'm sick and tired of it. I wouldn't even talk him into fighting because, if I did and something happened, it would be my fault.

"We've done all the publicity and it's total madness. It's things like this where boxing really doesn't help itself."

At a day's notice, unbeaten Irishman Dean Byrne has stepped in to save the main event at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester.

Byrne will face Gavin's scheduled opponent, former French champion Frank Haroche Horta, in a straight 12-round contest.