Regis withdraws from BAMMA 25 due to injury

Regis ‘The First´ Sugden has been forced to withdraw from his next fight, scheduled for Saturday 14 May at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham, due to injury.

The Suggy’s Gym MMA star was set to appear on the card of BAMMA 25, making his debut in the featherweight division after four explosive pro appearances as a bantamweight.

However, there is some good news for disappointed fans who were planning to make the trip to Birmingham to see Regis fight. Older brother Chad ‘2 Slick’ Sugden, who makes his Super Middleweight pro boxing debut this month, has already been offered a second match-up in Walsall on the same night, Saturday 14 May.

“Regis has been following the instructions of physio Ian Andrews, whom he sees on a weekly basis, to the letter and we’ve also had consultations with Dr Roger Oldham, who specialises in sports injuries,” said Suggy’s Gym head coach Dean Sugden. “We’re continuing to investigate further treatment for the injury but, in the meantime, we’ve reluctantly taken the decision to withdraw from the fight in May.”

“When you’re used to training twice a day, six days a week, as well as sparring on a regular basis, it’s obviously very frustrating if something interferes with your schedule,” said Regis. “Although you can usually work around most injuries, when you’re preparing for a fight you need to be at the top of your game so when it came down to it, withdrawing from this one was our only option.

“It’s been five months since my last outing, on BAMMA 22, and I’ve really been looking forward to getting back in the cage. The chance to show what I can do in a heavier weight class was even more of an incentive for me so of course I’m disappointed by how things have turned out.

“But I need to focus on my long-term career as a professional fighter and be guided by my dad as my coach and by the medical specialists. If this means delaying my return to the MMA arena, then so be it – in the long run, it will just make me hungrier and even more determined to get back out there and do what I do best.”

Tickets for Chad’s second fight, which takes place at Walsall Football Club, will be on sale via Suggy’s Gym soon, priced £60 ringside (with two-course meal) and £30 standard. Further information will be available at www.chadsugden.com