LEE Selby’s IBF world lightweight title eliminator with George Kambosos in May is set to fall victim to the coronavirus pandemic.

Promoters Matchroom are expected to confirm the postponement of the Cardiff show, which also features Selby’s St Joseph’s stablemate Gavin Gwynne, imminently.

With the St Joes gym closed due to Covid-19, trainer Tony Borg is unable to work with his fighters, and he admits that “everyone is assuming the show will be off”.

Gwynne, who faces James Tennyson for the vacant British lightweight crown, took to social media last weekend to say he is not expecting to fight at the Motorpoint Arena on May 9.

And on Monday, the British Boxing Board of Control announced the suspension of all events under their jurisdiction until the end of April “when further consideration will be given”.

“Everything is on lockdown – it’s crazy,” said Borg. “All the shows are off, and we’ve had to close the gym.

“I haven’t been told anything, but everyone is assuming the Cardiff show will be off.

“If it is then when things come back everyone will be trying to book dates there.

“For this show, they’ve got to get everyone at the right time, hope Kambosos can fly over from Australia, and try to get other opponents lined up.

“There are so many hurdles to get over before anyone can think about staging a show.

“It’s something we’ve never come across before. The only people who can relate to this are those who were alive during the war.”

Cardiff show promoter Eddie Hearn told iFL TV: “Right now, I think the chances of boxing, certainly in early May, anyway, are very limited, and even in May at all, and even maybe in June.

“And it’s not just about a period being over, or a quarantine being over, and then we go ‘right, Saturday night, who’s coming?’

“It’s going to take time for people to gain confidence, gain trust, and want to go out again.

“People are going to be desperate to watch sport, it’s such a big part of our lives, but it has still got to be the right time.

“I do think the evolution of the comeback will be studio shows, maybe even some closed door shows, maybe some small hall shows and then going into the big stuff.

“It’s going to take time, and that’s why we have to think on our feet and be creative.”

He continued: “We might not have boxing this year. I think that’s unlikely, but what do I know?

“The best-case scenario is that boxing resumes in June, the more realistic scenario is July, a possible scenario is September, October or November, January or February.

“You have to understand that these boxers are also self-employed.

“Fighters, footballers, darts players, snooker players, will have to get back to work at some stage, so if that has to come behind closed doors for the safety of the British public, that’s what we have to do.

“I don’t really want to do shows behind closed doors, but if we got to a stage where we’re in November or December and it was the only option, then it would be the way to go.”

He added: “We have to have a plan in place, and we hope that by June there are events taking place. I’m very confident that by July there will be events taking place.”

Borg, who reckons it would be “crazy” to hold shows behind closed doors, says his boxers are “ticking over” at home amid the coronavirus crisis.