Murat Gassiev to face new opponent after Tony Yoka pulls out with back injury

Tony Yoka has withdrawn from his scheduled WBA heavyweight title fight against champion Murat Gassiev in Moscow on July 11 due to a back injury sustained in training. Event organizers are seeking a replacement, with British heavyweight Joe Joyce identified as the leading candidate to step in. Joyce, already slated to fight Artem Suslenkov on the same card, could be moved to the main event despite a recent string of losses.

Gassiev was elevated to full WBA heavyweight champion after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the title. The bout was set to be a major opportunity for Yoka, the 2016 Olympic champion, who had previously faced scheduling disruptions earlier in the year. The fight remains planned for Moscow, pending confirmation of a new challenger.