Ben Smith is treating the cancellation of his upcoming fight as a learning experience after having to pull out of his bout against Lee Connelly with a virus.

The High Wycombe boxer announced on Monday that he would not be able to fulfil the June 9 date due to illness disrupting his training plans.

While the timing is frustrating for the 19-year-old, he insists he will take the disappointment as a chance to develop.

“The most frustrating thing for me is not being able to train. I am used to training all the time, so not being able to is tough,” Smith explained.

“Mark [Tibbs his trainer] has told me it is all a learning curve for me and it will not be the only time something like this will happen in my career.”

Smith’s struggles date back to his last fight – a win against Fonz Alexander – where he says he could feel discomfort in his chest.

He has since been unable to shift a persistent cough and blocked sinuses and is currently on antibiotics.

With over three weeks to go before the fight the decision to pull out may seem excessive, but Smith says Connelly’s ability means fighting at anything less than 100 per cent would be foolish.

Smith said: “He is a tough little fighter and it was going to be a tough fight. You have to be fit to fight him and I wouldn’t have been able to get that fitness with the illness.

“That was probably the main reason we pulled out of the fight with a few weeks to go.”

Smith is already planning his training regime for when he returns to full fitness, such is his commitment to his craft.

“I’ll be back in training as soon I can and I will be doing a lot of sparing over the summer to make sure I am ready for a return around September,” Smith said.

“There are not many shows over the summer, a few in July, so it will most likely be September when I fight again. There might be some fights around and we will not turn any down if they come along.”