By Elliot Foster

Joe Hughes has been ruled out of his next fight with an injury.

The Malmesbury man was meant to return from defeat later this week.

Hughes, who was outpointed by Robbie Davies Jr. in a battle for his European and vacant British super-lightweight titles back in March, had been due to come up against Lewis Ritson for the vacant WBA Continental title.

The fight, at the Exhibition Centre in Liverpool, would have formed part of the supporting cast to Anthony Fowler’s rescheduled ring return against Blackpool’s Brian Rose.

Rumours of Hughes’ withdrawal from the contest, via injury, began circulating online at the back end of last week.

And Boxing Scene had it confirmed by representatives at Matchroom Boxing on Monday that the former European champion would not be in the ring on Friday.

The card, which will be shown exclusively live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN Stateside, will also feature local talent Thomas Hart and Montrose super-middleweight John Docherty.

Heavyweight Martin Bakole will box in a clash against Ecuador’s Ytalo Perea after inking a promotional deal with Matchroom recently, while Jack Cullen defends his English middleweight title against Dillian Whyte-managed John Harding Jr.

Robbie Davies Jr., the current British and European super-lightweight champion, will tick over on the bill with the end-game of potentially facing the aforementioned Ritson –– from Newcastle –– later in the year.

Sean McGoldrick, the former Commonwealth Games gold medallist, completes the show in a showdown with former Commonwealth and English flyweight champion Thomas Essomba for the vacant WBC International bantamweight title and there is action for Anthony Crolla-trained lightweight prospect Dylan Evans, Fowler’s fellow former Olympian Qais Ashfaq and a debut outing for Nathan Farrell.