Parker pulls out of Chisora fight due to reported spider bite

Former heavyweight world titleholder is out of his scheduled bout with Dereck Chisora at the O2 Arena in London on Oct. 26, FightNights.com has learned.

Parker (26-2, 20 KO’s), 27, of New Zealand, has been unable to train for much of the week after he was reportedly bitten by a spider.

He won the vacant WBO heavyweight title with a controversial majority decision over now-unified champ Andy Ruiz Jr. in December 2016. He made two unconvincing defenses before losing to then-unified titleholder Anthony Joshua on points in March 2018.

Since dropping a unanimous decision to Dillian Whyte last July, Parker has picked up back-to-back knockouts against the likes of Alexander Flores and former title challenger Alex Leapai.

Last month, Parker-Chisora was nearly called off over drug testing.

David Higgins, who manages Parker, threatened to pull his boxer from the bout unless Chisora agreed to undergo World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) drug testing.

Britain's Chisora (31-9, 22 KO’s) knocked out former world title challenger Artur Szpilka in July in his most recent bout.