Chris Eubank Jr pulls out of Tommy Langford fight with injury

Chris Eubank Jr's father and trainer - Chris Eubank Sr - was a world champion at middleweight and super-middleweight

Chris Eubank Jr has vacated the British middleweight title, pulling out of his fight against Tommy Langford with a "severe" elbow injury.

Eubank was set to make a second defence of his title on 22 October in Cardiff.

However, the 27-year-old's team said he was hurt sparring a "14-stone opponent" on Thursday.

The statement added that the injury has been verified by a British Boxing Board of Control doctor. A rescheduled date has yet to be announced.

Unbeaten Langford could still fight for the title against another opponent on 22 October, with a statement expected from promoter Frank Warren.

Writing on social media, the 27-year-old said he was "extremely disappointed" and called Eubank Jr a "time-waster".

But Eubank Jr's team described his injury as a "blessing in disguise" due to a "vast chasm" between their fighter and recent challengers.

In claiming the title from Nick Blackwell in March, Eubank Jr was ordered by his father and trainer Chris Eubank Sr to avoid hitting his opponent in the head before the fight was stopped.

Blackwell suffered a bleed on his skull and was subsequently put into an induced coma. He has since retired from the sport.

"There has not been a fighter in the history of British boxing who has had such a vast chasm of fighting prowess between him and the contenders for the British Championship in ability, speed, strength, accuracy and skill," the Eubank Jr team statement added.

"The relinquishing of the British Championship due to injury sustained in a sparring session is perhaps a blessing in disguise.

"Chris Eubank Jnr's management team will use the injury as an opportunity to step aside and fight high-calibre world competition."

Eubank Jr had been expected to vacate the belt before the Langford fight was organised, with a world title bout against Gennady Golovkin rumoured to be close - before Briton Kell Brook was announced as the Kazakh's challenger.

Brook moved up two weight divisions to face Golovkin, but was stopped in five rounds on 10 September.