THE SIDELINES : Boxer Hurt; Title Bout Delayed

Australian boxer Troy Waters suffered severe facial injuries in an auto accident, postponing his World Boxing Organization junior middleweight title fight against champion John David Jackson of the United States, his promoter said today.

Waters, 25, the Commonwealth junior middleweight champion, was to have faced the unbeaten Jackson at Festival Hall in Brisbane on June 22. Promoter Marty Rhone said the fight date would be delayed at least six weeks to allow Waters to recover from the accident, which occurred late Wednesday.

The promoter said Waters’ car rolled seven or eight times and ran off the road after the boxer became involved in an altercation with another driver, who apparently was intoxicated.

Waters took 34 stitches in his chin and suffered extensive bruising and cuts in the shoulder area, Rhone said.