Caleb Truax out of IBF title eliminator against Alfredo Angulo

Caleb Truax pulled out of his super middleweight IBF title eliminator against Alfredo Angulo. Angulo is now fighting Vladimir Hernandez. 

Caleb Truax was supposed to meet Alfredo Angulo on Saturday, Aug. 29, in an IBF super middleweight title eliminator, but that’s not happening.

In the early afternoon on the day before the fight, The Athletic’s Mike Coppinger revealed in a tweet that Truax is out and Vladimir Hernandez is his replacement. FOX and PBC confirmed his report in a press release sent out several hours later.

“Caleb Truax was originally scheduled to face Angulo but was forced to withdraw due to effects of dehydration,” read the press release.

Truax tweeted a message of his own.

“In preparation for the fight, I suffered an illness that required medical attention Thursday night,” stated Truax. “I made the hard decision to withdraw.”

Due to the possibility of a fight cancelation due to COVID-19, FOX PBC had backup fighters waiting in the wings.

Smart planning by FOX PBC is keeping Alfredo Angulo in action. The loss of Caleb Truax hurts, but a contest is still in place.

“Under normal circumstances, you wouldn’t have a backup on standby. But because of COVID-19, we have someone who has been training, has been tested and is in the bubble and ready to go,” stated FOX PBC’s press release.

Hernandez (11-4, 6 KOs), 31, out of Denver, Colorado, by way of Mexico, won his last fight in July against Aaron Coley by split decision. Israil Madrimov stopped him in 2018.

This turn of events is a big opportunity for Hernandez. He’s in deep against the veteran Angulo. Angulo (26-7, 21 KOs), 38, of Coachella, California, by way of Mexico, pulled off the upset against Peter Quillin in 2019 to earn a spot in this IBF title eliminator.

Angulo vs. Hernandez is the chief support of the main even featuring WBA “regular” junior middleweight champion Erislanday Lara vs. Greg Vendetti. Primary coverage of the fights begins on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. More undercards can be viewed on FS1 starting at 6 p.m. ET.