Having originally replaced Dalton Smith-Alberto Puello as the promotion's main event on June 6 after Smith sustained an injury, the event will go ahead as scheduled at Sheffield's Utilita Arena with Josh Padley's maiden European junior lightweight title defense against Aqib Fiaz replacing that as the new headliner.

Yafai (9-0, 7 KOs, 1 NC) will end more than a year-long layoff when he does return. The Birmingham southpaw, an Olympic champion, lost a grueling 12-round decision against Francisco Rodriguez Jr last June before the result was changed and overturned to a no-contest after news of the Mexican's positive drug test for heptaminol.

He was issued a two-year WADA ban, retroactive to the June 2025 suspension date, after octodrine and oxilofrine were also announced as banned substances found in his urine. Rodriguez is nonetheless slated to return May 30 on a San Diego show in a 12-rounder against former world title challenger Angelino Cordova (19-0-2, 12 KOs, 1 NC).

Sandoval (27-2, 18 KOs) meanwhile, is still waiting for an opportunity to capitalise on a career-best win over Kenshiro Teraji last July. The Golden Boy-backed flyweight champion has been called out by IBF beltholder Masamichi Yabuki, who prepares to defend his title against Rene Calixto on that same June 6 night in Japan.

Instead, the 27-year-old must regroup and reset mentally once a new date is set before looking to unify the 112-pound division after Matchroom outbid Golden Boy to stage his first championship defense later this year.

Padley (18-1, 6 KOs) headlines a card 16 months removed from stepping in on short-notice to challenge Shakur Stevenson for the WBC lightweight crown in Saudi Arabia, after which he earned a Matchroom deal.

He has won three straight since, stopping unbeaten contender Marko Cvetanovic before life as a full-time pro helped me manage success campaigning at the division below, beating Reece Bellotti and Jaouad Belmehdi en route to European honors at 130 pounds.

Fiaz (14-1, 2 KOs) has flickered between weights, though his lone career defeat (TKO8) came in a competitive battle with then-British junior lightweight champion Bellotti in October 2023.

Birmingham southpaw Ibraheem Sulaimaan (10-0, 5 KOs) challenges Ibrahim Nadim (16-1, 2 KOs) for the English 130-pound title, while Coventry middleweight Aaron Bowen (7-1, 5 KOs) looks to rebuild after a career-first defeat when facing Troy Coleman (15-4-1, 7 KOs) as part of a busy undercard filled with prospects.

Heavyweight talent Leo Atang, Brighton featherweight Adam Maca and Essex southpaw Connor Mitchell are among those slated for action.