A 60-day medical suspension will prevent Andrei Arlovski from making his professional boxing debut for Golden Boy Promotions on June 27 in Los Angeles.
Arlovski’s camp confirmed the suspension, which was issued by the Missouri Office of Athletics as a standard precaution, with Sherdog.com Tuesday. Arlovski was not injured in the bout and was not sent to the hospital afterward, said his camp.
The Belarusian’s pride didn’t leave the cage as lucky.
“He’s disappointed,” said the rep. “He’s going to take a little time off, do a little bit of thinking and soul searching. Then we’ll re-evaluate everything and sit down and talk to his team in Chicago.”
Arlovski, 30, was halfway through a four-week training camp with boxing luminary Freddie Roach and former heavyweight boxing champion Michael Moorer in Los Angeles when he got the call to face Rogers, an undefeated Minnesota native who fought under the EliteXC banner before his contract was acquired by Strikeforce.
The bout completed the last fight on Arlovski’s three-fight contract with Affliction Entertainment, which sponsored the bout that aired on Showtime.
“We’ll check back in with Affliction,” the rep said of future negotiations. It is not known if Arlovski’s contract includes an exclusive re-negotiation and matching period with the clothing purveyors-turned-promoters.
Arlovski is also still expected to enter the ring for Golden Boy promotions at a later date as part of a multi-fight contract he signed with the boxing juggernaut, said his camp rep.
Arlovski (15-7) was victorious in his debut for Affliction last July, as he knocked out Ben Rothwell in impressive third-round fashion. The former UFC heavyweight champion bolstered his stock with a second-round knockout over former IFL champion Roy Nelson when he was loaned out to EliteXC for an October bout that aired on CBS. The victory, Arlovski’s fifth in a row, set up a showdown with No. 1 ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko.
Though he fared well in the early going, Arlovski was knocked out by Emelianenko as he rushed in with a dicey flying knee late in the first frame.
“He’s fought five times in the last year and shot a role in a film,” said his rep. “A little time off won’t hurt anybody.”