Mayweather-Harrison exhibition off, Harrison injured

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is not facing Liam Harrison after all.

The kickboxing veteran has denied reports that he will fight the former five-division world champion in an exhibition fight on February 25 at The O2 in London.

Instead, Harrison will be on the sidelines recovering from an injury.

"Many of you will have seen the announcement this morning about my fight with Floyd Mayweather. Devastatingly, my knee just won't allow it. Discussions about the fight started a few days ago with the Mayweather team and I honestly thought I would be ok in a boxing fight, even needing surgery on my knee," Harrison explained.

"I upped my training as soon as discussions started and had some hard sparring and pads but almost immediately my knee had ballooned up and I can't walk. Hitting pads is fine but the movement and agility needed to spar and especially fight just isn't possible.

"My surgeon is in agreement that this won't be possible and I am absolutely heartbroken. This fight and everything that would have come with it would have changed my life. Furthermore, no contract for this has been received or signed. I'm exclusively contracted to ONE and I had approached them for permission and sign off.

"Without receipt of the contract and ONE's review and approval of this, nothing was confirmed. Floyd is the greatest boxer of all time and I would have wanted to put in a good account of myself. Not just for me but for the whole muaythai community... I'm seriously flattered to have been even approached for this fight and I really think I could have done well in it. But, as things stand, I'm going to have to stick to my surgery next week. I really hope when I'm recovered we can make this fight happen."

Harrison has a career record of 90-25-2, with 50 knockouts.

Mayweather retired from boxing in 2017, but has fought in five exhibition fights since.