Oleksandr Usyk suffers elbow injury; WBSS final vs. Murat Gassiev postponed

The World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight final between unified cruiserweight world titleholder Oleksandr Usyk and fellow unified 200-pound titleholder Murat Gassiev has been postponed after Usyk suffered a minor elbow injury.

The two fighters were set to meet in the final of the eight-man tournament on May 11 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but the World Boxing Super Series announced Monday that the fight was off.

A new date for the bout has not been determined.

However, Comosa AG, the promoter of WBSS, confirmed in a statement that it is consulting with both teams to come up with a new date for the fight.

"Team Usyk has informed Comosa AG that Mr. Usyk suffered a minor elbow injury whilst training for his World Boxing Super Series final against Murat Gassiev, for the Muhammad Ali Trophy," the World Boxing Super Series said in a statement.

"It has been confirmed by all parties, including Comosa AG appointed independent medical staff, that Mr. Usyk is unavailable for the scheduled date of the event, May 11th. As such, the May 11th event, due to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has been postponed."

There are also ongoing efforts to move the fight from Jeddah to Moscow where it is reported that an investment group is offering to host the fight and for millions of dollars more than what Sela Sport, the local organizer in Jeddah, initially proposed.

Unfortunately, the finals of both tournaments have been hampered by injury. Super middleweight world titleholder George Groves has also requested a postponement of his 168-pound final against fellow countryman Callum Smith. Groves (28-3, 20 KO's), 30, suffered a dislocated left shoulder in a dominating unanimous decision victory over Englishman Chris Eubank Jr. in the semifinal of the WBSS tournament on Feb. 17.

Smith (24-0, 17 KO's), 27, scored a unanimous decision win over replacement opponent Nieky Holzken on Feb. 24. Smith was initially set to take on former 175-pound titlist Juergen Braehmer (49-3, 35 KO's), but the 39-year-old Germany native was forced to withdraw due to illness.

Groves-Smith is set to take place on June 2 at The O2 Arena in London, but there are reports that the bout could be pushed back to July.