Nigel Benn withdraws from comeback bout with shoulder injury

Nigel Benn has been forced to call off his comeback fight against Sakio Bika due to a shoulder injury.

The 55-year-old announced his intention to return to the ring for the first time in 23 years in September, with a bout against 40-year-old Bika slated for November 23 in Birmingham.

However, the former world middleweight and super-middleweight champion has confirmed his ambition will not become reality.

"I have been dreaming of a one-off fight for years and I'm heartbroken I've had to call it off," Benn told The Sun.

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It has been reported Benn, who last fought in a defeat to Steve Collins in 1996, sustained the injury during a recent training session.

The planned 10-round fight was sanctioned by the British and Irish Boxing Authority after the British Boxing Board of Control initially refused to give it the green light.