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IBF and WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko has pulled out of Saturday's world title bout with Dereck Chisora due to a back injury.
The 34-year-old Ukrainian was due to take on 26-year-old Londoner Chisora in Mannheim, Germany and it is still hoped the pair could meet early next year.
"Wladimir has withdrawn from the fight. He has torn a muscle in his back," said Klitschko's US advisor Shelley Finkel.
"It is not too serious. He should be able to fight again within 60 days."
Talks are now expected between the fighters' representatives with a view to rescheduling the bout although WBA champion David Haye could see this as his chance to re-negotiate a deal with Klitschko about a possible unification fight.
Klitschko was set to fight WBA champion Haye last year before the Englishman pulled out with a back injury and negotiations have repeatedly stalled since then.
Haye has also talked about fighting Wladimir's brother Vitali, who is the WBC champion.
"Dereck is very disappointed," said Chisora's promoter Frank Warren, in response to the news.
"He didn't believe it. He felt everything was fine. Three or four days before a title fight, most of the hard work is done."
Unbeaten Chisora's last fight was a ninth-round stoppage of Norwich's Sam Sexton on 18 September, while Klitschko knocked out Nigeria's Sam Peter in the 10th round a week earlier.
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