Derek Chisora was 'very upset' about news of Joseph Parker's withdrawal, but a replacement has verbally 'agreed' to face him at The O2, says manager David Haye.
The British heavyweight is still set to appear on the Regis Prograis-Josh Taylor bill at The O2 on October 26, live on Sky Sports Box Office, with promoter Eddie Hearn considering a shortlist of new opponents after Parker was forced to pull out due to an illness.
Haye admits that Chisora initially vented his dismay after being denied the Parker fight, but has quickly channelled his frustration into training with talks ongoing with a number of highly-ranked contenders.
Speaking on his official Instagram, Haye said: "Derek was very, very upset. Obviously, he's really geared himself up, he's training hard. He's healthy, he really wants to show the world what he's about, and Joseph Parker we believed would bring out the very best in Derek.
"It's brought the best out of him in training and we just hoped that Joseph Parker would step through those ropes for Derek to prove how good he is in the ring, you know, at The O2 Arena, where he's performed at a world level.
"Everything happens for a reason. Let's just hope we get an opponent as soon as possible that, you know, the fans are happy with and not only that. They say styles make fights in the boxing game. We need to get an opponent, who is going to really bring the best out in Derek and for Derek to bring out the best in whoever he fights. We're going to get an absolute humdinger of a fight.
"To be honest, Derek Chisora took the news as well as he can take it. He was obviously upset at the time. A bit frustrated, but, you know, the next morning he was back in the gym, training hard. It hasn't slowed his training regime, as he knows we've given him a list of names, potential names. All of the names are dangerous names. They are all world class recognisable, world-renowned names that he will need to be at his best for."
Alexander Povetkin, Michael Hunter, Oscar Rivas, Otto Wallin, Manuel Charr and Martin Bakole were named on a shortlist by Hearn on Wednesday, and Haye revealed that a frontrunner might have emerged.
Asked when a replacement will be named, he said: "Hopefully within the next three or four days.
"We could have someone today agree 'yes, 100 per cent we want to do the fight', but let's say the guy is in America, with the time differences, getting his legal team to okay the contract.
"There's a lot of back and forth that needs to be done with negotiations and what not, so realistically I'd say you know, it will be less than a week.
"We may have somebody already who has agreed it, but there's one thing agreeing it over the phone, there's another agreeing it when the contract is sent to you.
"We're talking to multiple parties in the hope that we can get someone to sign on the dotted line and get over here for an absolute barnstormer of a night."
On a packed evening of action, Scotland's Taylor puts his IBF belt at stake against WBA 'super' champion Prograis in the World Boxing Super Series final of the super-lightweight tournament.
Lawrence Okolie also challenges Yves Ngabu for the European cruiserweight title and Ricky Burns battles Lee Selby in a win-or-bust domestic clash.