Chris Male v Joe Murray is called off

Cradley's Chris Male has seen over three months of training go to waste after his fight with Joe Murray for the vacant English featherweight title was called off.

Male and Murray were set to clash at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester next Saturday, but the whole show has now been called off.

Sky Sports pulling the plug on the card's live television coverage has seen Hatton Promotions - Ricky Hatton's company - cut their losses.

The bill had already been switched from Newport Leisure Centre after the main event, Gary Buckland versus Paul Truscott for the British super featherweight title, fell through.

A muscle injury to champion Buckland saw him pull out and the Hattons failed to find a replacement headline fight that Sky approved of.

Male still has a contract to meet Murray in the ring, a fight that has been six months in the making, but is now unlikely to happen until next year.