Peter McGrail is now scheduled to face a different opponent on June 21. His previously announced bout against Shabaz Masoud has been cancelled.
The initial fight between the two 29-year-olds for the IBO super-bantamweight title was set to take place at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham. However, promoters Matchroom announced earlier today that the fight was off.
Via a social media post on X, Matchroom stated: “Shabaz Masoud has sustained an injury in training and his fight on June 21 against Peter McGrail has been cancelled. We wish Shabaz a speedy recovery.”
Matchroom also confirmed that McGrail, who holds a professional record of 11-1 with 6 knockouts, will now square off against Ionut Baluta. Baluta (17-5-1, 3 KOs) is a familiar fighter in the UK, having competed there nine times. His record on British soil stands at 4 wins, 4 losses, and one technical draw against Dennis McCann. Baluta lost the subsequent rematch but has notable wins over domestic contenders like Brad Foster and Andrew Cain. His aggressive, high-pressure style presents a significantly different challenge compared to the strategic, `chess match` bout anticipated against Masoud.
McGrail, a 2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist and 2020 Olympian from Liverpool, has shown strong form since his upset defeat to Ja’Rico O’Quinn in Arizona in 2023. He has bounced back with victories against Marc Leach, Brad Foster, and Rhys Edwards (in December), strengthening his credentials as he pursues opportunities on the world stage. He is currently ranked #6 in the WBA super-bantamweight division.
The bout between McGrail and Baluta is part of the undercard for the event, which is headlined by Galal Yafai defending his WBC Interim flyweight title against Francisco Rodriguez.
