‘Seems we’ll never get in the ring with him’: Tim Tszyu’s IBF eliminator called off after challenger Erickson Lubin officially pulls out

Tim Tszyu has been left hanging yet again in his planned boxing return with an IBF world title eliminator now off the table and his camp is losing patience with would-be challenger American Erickson Lubin.

Tim Tszyu has once again been left hanging by Erickson Lubin, with the American boxer officially pulling out of the race to fight ‘The Soul Taker’ in September.

Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings confirmed to this masthead on Wednesday morning that the plan is for Tszyu to still have his comeback fight on September 28 in Australia.

However, it will no longer be an IBF world title eliminator after Lubin (26-2) was declared medically unfit despite posting regular social media updates about being deep in fight camp.

Lubin is ranked third with the IBF, while Tszyu is ranked fourth, and the winner of a fight between them would likely have booked a world title fight against champion Bakhram Murtazaliev.

That’s a fight Tszyu wanted before the end of this year, but those plans have now gone up in smoke.

Tszyu and younger brother Nikita are in Las Vegas for training camp, and will remain in America as Jennings and No Limit look for another opponent for September 22.

This is the third time in the space of a year that Lubin has pulled out of fighting Tszyu, and the Aussie’s team will likely move on to other opponents.

Tim Tszyu speaks during a Tim Tszyu Fight announcement alongside his brother, earlier in the week. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

“It’s a pattern with Erickson Lubin, it seems we’re destined to never get in the ring with him,” Jennings told this masthead.

“You think you’ve got dates and can plan, then out of the blue, it’s off again.

“I think we’ll move on from him in all honesty. We’ll see what happens with the IBF, it won’t change anything.

“We’ll keep Tim busy and focus on what’s next.”

Tszyu had always been concerned about whether the 28-year-old Lubin would be willing to travel to Australia for the fight.

“A lot of people talk the talk but when it’s up to getting it done, they go the other way, running,” he said last week.

“We’re the two main boys in the division in the IBF so I hope we can get it on. Let’s see if he accepts.”

Just six days later, it appears he hasn’t.

Despite posting videos and photos to social media of him deep in training, Lubin now says he’s medically unfit to fight Tszyu in Australia.