Breaking: Vlasov positive for Covid-19, Saturday's title bout vs. Smith postponed

Commey-Marinez elevated to new ESPN main event

Maxim Vlasov has tested positive for Covid-19, forcing a postponement of his vacant WBO light heavyweight title bout against Joe Smith Jr., Top Rank announced on Thursday afternoon.

The fight was due to headline the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card on Saturday night from inside the bubble of the conference center at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“I am devastated with the postponement of my world title fight against Joe Smith Jr. I have been following strict protocols, I have done regular testing with negative results, and I have no symptoms,” Vlasov said in a statement. “I am well prepared and had an excellent training camp. I look forward to the rescheduling of the fight and the opportunity to display my world class skills.”

The show will go on with the original co-feature, 10-round lightweight title bout between former world titlist Richard Commey and Jackson Marinez, being elevated to the main event of a tripleheader beginning at 10 p.m. ET (ESPN and ESPN Deportes).

Commey (29-3, 26 KOs), of Ghana, will be boxing for the first time since Teofimo Lopez Jr. knocked him out in the second round to take his 135-pound title in December 2019.

Marinez (19-1, 7 KOs), 30, of the Dominican Republic, was largely unknown until Aug. 15, when he faced Rolando Romero for a vacant interim lightweight belt on Showtime and lost a decision many thought he deserved to win.

In the new co-feature, featherweight Adam Lopez (14-2, 6 KOs), of Glendale, California, will defend his regional title against former world title challenger Jason Sanchez (15-2, 8 KOs), of Albuquerque, New Mexico, in a scheduled 10-round fight. The telecast will open with heavyweight prospect Jared Anderson (7-0, 7 KOs), of Toledo, Ohio, taking on Kingsley Ibeh (5-1-1, 4 KOs), of Phoenix, in a six-rounder.

The rest of the undercard fights, including the pro debut of middleweight Troy Isley, a former U.S. amateur standout, will stream on ESPN+ beginning at 8:15 p.m.

The fight was to be a second shot at a light heavyweight world title for Smith (26-3, 21 KOs), 31, who hails from Mastic, New York, on Long Island, after a decision loss challenging Dmitry Bivol in 2019 and two notable wins in 2020 against Jesse Hart and Eleider “Storm” Alvarez.

Vlasov (45-3, 26 KOs), 34, of Russia, was also getting his second crack at a world title. In 2018 he moved up in weight for a shot at a cruiserweight belt and lost a decision to Krzysztof Glowacki.