Fight Night will be missing an enormous fixture tomorrow as giant super heavyweight Sharieff Wales has pulled out of tonight?s Front Street pugilism specatular.

But with a women?s pro bout topping the card and a welterweight championship still going ahead, organiser Nir Sadeh is still happy that Fight Night VII will be a boxing night to remember.

Wales cited a lack of training and a recent back injury as his reason for the 11th hour withdrawal, thus denying the boxing public an eagerly-awaited re-match with Freeman Smith.

The Caribbean champion super heavyweight knocked out Smith last year in the first round with a vicious uppercut and Smith, who described the loss as a ?fluke?, is disappointed that he won?t get his chance for public revenge.

But Wales told that his decision not to fight was in everyone?s interest.

?I haven?t been able to train properly recently for a number of reasons,? said Wales, who is currently the alleged victim of an ongoing conspiracy to murder trial.

?I hurt my back working one of my five jobs in the last few weeks and I haven?t been able to get in the preparation I would have wanted.

?It is not right going into a fight like this if I haven?t trained properly. It is not going to do me any favours but it is not going to be fair to Freeman, the organisers or the paying public.

?Everyone, including myself, wants to see a top fight and I don?t think I can provide that at the moment because I have not been able to train.

?I once went into a fight when I hadn?t trained for it, and even though I won, I didn?t do myself justice and I promised myself never to do it again.

?I felt like s***, I looked like s*** and I won like s*** ? and I can?t let that happen again.?

Sadeh, however, is adamant that Wales? no-show will not affect the quality on show tonight in Bermuda?s premier boxing night.

?It is obviously a shame to lose a boxer like Sharieff from the card and it means there cannot be the re-match we wanted to see, but that doesn?t mean there won?t be some great boxing for the fans,? said Sadeh, instrumental in turning Fight Night pro at the top of the card for the first time in history.

?We still have the welterweight championship between Bruno Parker and Jerome Kaines and, of course, the top billing which is the pro fight between Teresa Perozzi and Elizabeth Kerin.

?There are also nine fights offering the essence of Fight Night with amateur boxers showing off their skills.

?We are promising a great night of boxing for the fans and hopefully Sharieff and Freeman can have their re-match next year.?

Smith, meanwhile, known to be unhappy with the re-publication of his post-knockout picture from last year, is disappointed that he won?t get a chance to make amends for his first-round defeat last time around.

?Sharieff rung me to say he is not fighting and that is a shame,? said Smith, who had been training hard for the re-match.

?I was looking forward to getting back in the ring with him and setting the record straight. It was a bit of a fluke last year. Don?t get me wrong I think Sharieff is a great fighter, but there is no way that would happen again.

?It is disappointing that we don?t get to fight but what can you do.?

And Smith expressed doubt over whether a re-match would be possible on 2006.

?I will be 36 then and I don?t know what is going to be happening,? he added.

?I am always going to be involved in sport in some way but I don?t know what is going to be the case then ? it is too far off to think about today.?

Tonight will see 11 bouts ranging from the traditional Fight Night rugby grudge matches all the way up to what should be a fascinating contest between Perozzi and Kerin.

?It is going to be a big test for me,? said Perozzi.

?She is a tough boxer but I know I can beat her because of the way I have been training.

?I am a little nervous, but I always am before fights. It will be nice to fight in front of the home crowd and I am going to give a display to be proud of.?

Kerin, a 31-year-old American Airlines manager, is also looking forward to the bout, but also her first trip to Bermuda.

The married world number 12, who has always been an active sportswoman, is taking a few extra days off after her bout and will be hoping to see the Island?s sights before she returns home to Chicago.

But for now, she is focussed on the fight.

?I have heard a bit about Fight Night and I am looking forward to getting into the ring with Teresa,? said Kerin.

?I have been learning about her and I think I can handle her. As I have been in all my fights, I am taller than my opponent and I will be looking to use that to my advantage.

?I am sure she is going to want to come inside but I am ready for that. People think I am just an outside fighter but I don?t mind slugging it out inside if I have to.

?The crowd are all going to be backing her but that is something I have faced before and I don?t have a problem with that. Apart from my mother screaming, I can never normally hear the crowd so that is not going to be a problem for me.?