Friday's ShoBox co-feature was cancelled on the day of the fight when heavyweight BJ Flores was denied a boxing license in the state of Washington because of a dispute about his medical evaluations. Flores was scheduled to face undefeated Otto Wallin. Here is a statement Flores issued on social media: "I had a clear MRI, clear CT scan, clear EEG. The state of Washington required an MRI within [the past] year. I was shot with a bb gun at 8 years old. Every other state has taken the MRI over my entire career. Washington wouldn’t accept it, even though multiple neurologists cleared me. I signed off in a waver saying no one held responsible if there was any injury. The cleared me to fight after the documents were signed. I went the whole day thinking the fight was on. When I got to the dressing room, they informed me it was off. Worst news I’ve ever heard. Trying to reschedule within the next few weeks."

Flores was allowed to weigh in on Thursday and appeared fine, although that does not necessariyl mean he should have been allowed to fight.  The official statement about the fight cancellation read: ”As part of the licensing process in the state of Washington, the doctor appointed by the boxing commission to oversee tonight’s event reviewed medical tests and determined that B.J. Flores would not be medically cleared to compete. Based on that opinion, Washington State Department of Licensing spokesperson Gigi Zenk notified Salita Promotions this afternoon that they would not issue B.J. Flores a license to fight against Otto Wallin tonight. Due to medical privacy requirements we are unable to provide further information at this time.”

 

The connmission's actions beg the question: why did the Washington State Department of Licensing allow this situation to drag on after the weigh-in and into the day of the fight? The fight had been scheduled and advertised to fans for several weeks before the commission denied Flores' license. The delay inexplicable and not the actions of a competent commission.

 

A cruiserweight for more than a decade, the 40 year-old Flores has a career record of 34-4-1. After losing a WBC cruiserweight title shot to Tony Bellew in 2016, he moved up to heavyweight and was coming off a loss to undefeated Trevor Bryan. He has also served as a talented boxing analyst.