PRO MMA (promma.info) received word Wednesday evening from Strikeforce officials that Josh “The Punk” Thomson (16-2) sustained a broken left leg during a sparring session with Billy Evangelista earlier in the day.
Thomson was scheduled to defend his lightweight title against Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez (14-2) at STRIKEFORCE: SHAMROCK vs. DIAZ at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California on Saturday, April 11.
Thomson will no longer be able to compete in the fight with Melendez and Strikeforce is seeking a replacement. The injury is severe enough that Thomson must undergo surgery on Friday and is expected to be out of action for two to three months.
Thomson had this to say about the incident, “I was sparring hard and I broke my leg, above my ankle, during an exchange. I’m very upset. All the hard work was done and it was time to fight. I was looking forward to putting on a great show for the fans. All I can say is that I’ll be back when I get healthy.”
STRIKEFORCE: SHAMROCK vs. DIAZ will air live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) on Saturday, April 11.
Tickets for “Shamrock vs. Diaz,” priced from $30, are available for purchase at the HP Pavilion box office (408-287-7070) as well as at all Ticketmaster locations (408-998-TIXS), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com), and Strikeforce’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).
By: Jack Bratcher