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Regis Sugden
Regis Sugden, copyright MMA Plus.

The Sudgen camp have released a statement claiming Regis Sugden will no longer compete against Huseyin Garabet at BAMMA 25, Saturday, May 14 at the Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham.

Making the announcement on Regis’s website, Sugden stated he has been forced to withdraw from his Featherweight debut fight due to injury – rumoured to be a broken foot, although this has not been specified.

BAMMA have yet to confirm Sugden’s removal from their May 14 card.

Newark’s Sugden made a name for himself in the BAMMA Bantamweight division, going 3-1, including three stoppages. Sugden lost a split decision against Northern Ireland’s Alan Philpott in his last fight – a battle at BAMMA 22: Dublin for the British Lonsdale strap.

The visibly tough weight cut down to 135lb has sparked the decision of The Suggy’s Gym fighter to move up 10lbs in weight.

Prior to that, in April, 2015, Sugden – who trains at 4th Dimension MMA with Andre Winner and Jimmy Wallhead, came in over the Bantamweight limit, weighing 142.4lbs for a match-up against Ant Phillips – Regis won via first round TKO.

Regis “The First” Sugden’s official statement claimed: “When you’re used to training twice a day, six days a week, as well as sparring on a regular basis, it’s obviously very frustrating if something interferes with your schedule.

“Although you can usually work around most injuries, when you’re preparing for a fight you need to be at the top of your game so when it came down to it, withdrawing from this one was our only option.

“But I need to focus on my long-term career as a professional fighter and be guided by my dad as my coach and by the medical specialists. If this means delaying my return to the MMA arena, then so be it – in the long run, it will just make me hungrier and even more determined to get back out there and do what I do best.”

Regis’s father and head coach Dean Sugden also added: “Regis has been following the instructions of physio Ian Andrews, whom he sees on a weekly basis, to the letter and we’ve also had consultations with Dr Roger Oldham, who specialises in sports injuries.

“We’re continuing to investigate further treatment for the injury but, in the meantime, we’ve reluctantly taken the decision to withdraw from the fight in May.”