Disappointed boxing promoters were forced to make an 11th hour decision to cancel tonight's scheduled Norwich fight night.

Their hand was forced by late withdrawals, which left them with insufficient bouts to make the show, at the Mercy nightclub, a viable proposition for themselves or for those who had already purchased tickets.

Sudbury's Billy Bird, who trains at Norwich's Kickstop Gym, was due to top the bill, which also featured popular local fighter Zaiphan Morris.

Promoter Mervyn Turner was already without world youth champion Nathan Dale and Lowestoft's Craig Poxton, who are currently out injured, and Norwich heavyweight Sam Sexton, who is not yet back to full fitness following a back problem.

Trainer Graham Everett said he was 'devastated', but said there was little option.

'We got to a situation where it just wasn't viable, nor fair,' he said. 'When you have withdrawals so close to fight night it is almost impossible to fill the holes.

'There has been an awful lot of work in the gym and sparring to prepare for this and it is a shame that, for the time being anyway, it has gone to waste.'

Dale, who topped the last bill, in February, in front of a big crowd at St Andrew's Hall when he won the IBF youth welterweight title, is expected to go under the knife within the next few days to solve a long-standing hand injury.

'Nathan has a break in his hand and it is the same hand which has troubled him for a while, so we have taken the opportunity to have it looked at by Mike Haydon, who is a highly-regarded authority, the best in the business.'