Report: Schofield out of fight vs. Stevenson due to illness

Floyd Schofield's chance to become WBC lightweight champion will have to wait for another day.

The 22-year-old boxer will no longer battle champion Shakur Stevenson on Saturday after he became ill and was sent to a hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, sources told boxing insider Dan Rafael.

Speculation began to surface online about Schofield's participation in the fight after he failed to show up for Tuesday's grand arrivals.

A since-deleted post apparently written by Schofield's father appeared on the boxer's X page afterward. The post claimed the boxer was "poisoned" and a member of Stevenson's team "wiped a cream on my son," according to Ryan Songalia and Lance Pugmire of Boxing Scene.

Stevenson's co-manager, Josh Dubin, denied the allegations.

"This fighter (Schofield) should get advised on the defamation laws in our country," Dubin told Boxing Scene. "Saying these things that slander Shakur does not come without legal consequences. Saying that his food was poisoned will not go unrecognized. (Schofield) is being put on notice right now.

"People might think there's a kernel of truth in these lies by his father, when it seems to be a way for him to make an excuse he's not going to fight."

The undefeated Stevenson, who was entering the fight as a heavy favorite, is expected to get a new opponent to replace Schofield.