‘Absolutely devastated’ – Larry Fryers loses chance to scalp former two weight world champion

Larry Fryers [11(4)-3(1)] has seen a massive potentially career changing opportunity taken away from him for the second time in a less than a month.

‘Lethal’ was to take on Rances Barthelemy [27(14)-1(0)-1] on the undercard of Caleb Plant and Caleb Traux’s IBF super middleweight world title fight this weekend, only for the Cuban to pull out.

The clash, which was to play out in Los Angles live on Fox Sports on January 30, was an opportunity for the Monaghan native to register a big scalp and possibly the shock of year.

Barthelemy represented the best fighter Fryers had signed to fight. The Cuban is a former two-weight world champion, having held the IBF super featherweight title in 2014, and the IBF lightweight title from 2015 to 2016.

The 34-year-old was last seen in the ring 2019 when he drew with Robert Easter Jr in a vacant WBA lightweight world title fight – and that time out gave the New York resident’s fans reason to dream.

The 30-year-old signed to fight knockout artist Elvis Rodriguez on a Top Rank card pre Christmas. However the Dominican pulled out after testing positive for Covid after the weigh in had taken place.

Fryers also seen a massive March fight with fellow Irish lightweight Ray Moylette cancelled at late notice in 2020.

The rivals where set to fight in Boston, only for Pandemic problems to put paid to that one.

Speaking online and with regard to the fight initially scheduled for this weekend Fryers said: “So folks I’m absolutely devastated to announce my fight this Saturday night has be canceled due to my opponent pulling out. I can’t tell you how pist’ off I am, but have been reassured that I’m going to be fighting very soon so look there is no point crying over spilled milk. I got to just stay ready and that’s exactly what I’m going to dp. Onwards and upwards folks.”