Stephen Tiffney fight KO'd after he admits having asthma

The 28-year-old was all set to lock horns with Poland’s Damian Lawniczak at the Crowne Plaza Hotel but was informed just 48 hours beforehand that there was to be no bout.

In filing his medical report to the BBBC, MGM super featherweight Tiffney opted to disclose for the first time in his career that he had been plagued with asthma as a child.

“I have never mentioned it before in my medical reports so I really don’t know why I did this time around,” Tiffney explained. “I had everything done for the fight but then the Board got back in touch saying there was a problem regarding my asthma. I hadn’t made it known in the past because it doesn’t really bother me as I’m pretty fit and it only really flared up when I was a kid. But for some reason I put it down this time and they were having none of it. They said they needed a report from my doctor to allow me to fight and that just wasn’t possible with it being two days before the fight.

“I was trying to argue my case and even went to the doctor to see about getting something but they said it would take them about a week to go through everything. I suppose with things that have gone on in the sport lately (the death of Mike Towell) then it’s not really surprising. It’s just another setback for me and I had hoped to end the year on a high following a frustrating few months.”

Tiffney has endured limited time in the ring this year having been forced to withdraw from his previous two bouts in October due to a combination of injury and illness.

“I was so looking forward to fighting again and then this had to happen. I’ve not had much luck lately,” he said. “My last fight was in May so it’s been a while. I’m hoping to fight again next month in Glasgow and then we’re back at Meadowbank in March so I’m hopeful things will turn in my favour.”