This past Friday could have been the pinnacle of Alexey Egorov’s professional career – at least at this stage of it. Instead, it turned into bitter disappointment and a certain setback for a hard-hitting and rapidly rising prospect.

WBA #2 rated cruiserweight from Russia should have been fighting reigning WBA champion Arsen Goulamirian (26-0, 18 KOs) in one of those title match-ups between two underrated (and undefeated) fighters, which usually and unrightfully goes slightly under the radar. 

The fight was penciled to crown the first of a two-day monster event, arranged in Ekaterinburg, Russia, by the RCC Boxing Promotions in assistance with Egorov’s own promoter, World of Boxing.

The fight was cancelled with just a hours to go before the fight, when Goulamirian’s most recent COVID-19 test came back positive. The cancellation means that the France-based Armenian will very likely hit two years of inactivity, while Egorov was last seen in the ring in March 2020.

Egorov (11-0, 7 KOs) expressed his disappointment about the cancellation via the World of Boxing Instagram soon after the bitter news came down:

“I don’t have any certain thoughts about it at the time. It is what it is. I should take it [the situation] accordingly. I’m disappointed that this has happened. I have gone through such a long road to the title fight. That is the culmination of my entire professional career – to fight for one of major titles, to get this belt. I was absolutely ready for this fight; my team had done a helluva job. But those things happen. Unfortunately, I cannot affect the situation but this situation affects me," said Egorov.

“I’ll continue to work and to prepare for my upcoming fights. I was ready to put up everything I could and to show my best. It’s not my fault that this contest has been cancelled," added the Russian.