SCOTT Fitzgerald who had his British superweight title with Anthony Fowler cancelled, due to COVID-19, should have been looking ahead to facing Spain’s European champion Sergio Garcia, amid suspension by the BBBofC, due to issues outside the ring.
Garcia, super-welterweight champion, 27, nicknamed El Nino, is undefeated in 31 fights, with 13 KOs.
Torrelavega, Cantabria born Garcia beat Frenchman Maxime Beaussire for the vacant European super welterweight title, in 2018, by unanimous decision.
Defending his title against unbeaten British boxer Ted Cheeseman in 2019, fighting outside Spain for the first time in his professional career.
García stated that he hoped in defeating Cheeseman it would open up opportunities to fight at world level, having retained his title.
García retained his European title again in 2019, defeating Sergey Rabchenko by unanimous decision in Torrelavega.
Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist, and National ABA champion Fitzgerald, 28, self-confessed he has been battling with drink, drug and gambling addiction.
Fitzgerald, who became National ABA champion aged 21, won gold in the 2014 Commonwealth Games as an amateur, shocked boxing following his confession.
Upon turning pro, he won the British super-welterweight title, when defeating Fowler and Ted Cheeseman in 2019.
Preston, Lancashire born Fitzgerald, who trained in Spain, as he continued his path on the European and world stage, revealed he had an addiction to cocaine, having taken drugs, reportedly since age 12.
Following the shock revelations Fitzgerald spent 12 days at Tony Adams’ Sporting Chance charity in rehab.
A return fight with Fowler was on the bill in 2020, blighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
What was to follow was a potential meeting against Spain’s European champion Sergio Garcia.
Having left re-hab, Fitzgerald was based in London, where he was told during a meeting with boxing promoter Eddie Hearn he had a massive future – and the chance of becoming a future world champion.
Added to his woes Fitzgerald was arrested, after domestic incidents in Preston in March, leading to being suspended by the BBBofC.
The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) took action against Fitzgerald suspending its license, pending further investigation.
Hearn said Fitzgerald was put into the Sporting Chance Clinic by Steve Wood (manager) and he, due to needing help.
Hearn said Fitzgerald was struggling in life, and with various forms of addiction, of which Fitzgerald had personally revealed.
The main reason Fitzgerald had his licence suspended, said Hearn, was because the board didn’t know that he went into Sporting Chance Clinic.
The BBBofC won’t let a fighter fight, if mentally not right, or prepared to fight.
The incident is something the BBBofC took into consideration, said Hearn, who added it was now a case of ‘work in progress on many different levels’ with Fitzgerald.
