COMMONWEALTH super middleweight champion Luke Blackledge has been forced to pull out of a scheduled bout because of a skin infection.

The Darwen fighter, who won the Commonwealth title when he defeated Liam Cameron at King George’s Hall in Blackburn in April, had been due to return to action at Liverpool Olympia on July 25.

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Blackledge was set to enter into a six-round contest on the VIP Promotions show but has been ruled out after catching impetigo, a highly contagious bacterial skin infection, during sparring.

The infection is most common among pre-school children but is also known to affect people involved in close contact sports including boxing, rugby, American football and wrestling.

Blackledge said: “I wasn’t 100 per cent fit to fight anyway.

“I caught impetigo in a sparring session and I’ve had to stop all training so there’s no way I’ll be fighting in July.

“I’m really run down so still need some time to recover but I can’t wait to get back in the gym.

“I won’t be out again until September now but at least I’ll be in a big fight then.

“My manager confirmed that I will be defending my Commonwealth and WBC belts in September on a TV show.”

Blackledge also holds the WBC silver international super middleweight title and is eager for his next challenge.

“I’ll fight anyone in the top 10 in the Commonwealth rankings, I’m not bothered who it is, I’m ready to step up again,” he said.”

“I’ve been offered loads of fights and got offered a fight against Patrick Nielsen for the WBA title but because it was just six days’ notice, I turned it down.

“I’d definitely be up for that fight with a training camp first.”

WBO European champion Frank Buglioni has also been among those interested in fighting him.

Blackledge said: “I’m getting a lot more attention now and people keep asking when I’m going for the British title. That’s always been my dream.

“I got offered to fight Frank Buglioni with only a few days’ notice and just got offered to fight Australian world champ Zac Dunn for the IBO World super middleweight title but I’ve had to turn it down. I’ll still be defending my titles in September.”