BBBofC blast Haye, Chisora and Warren
FEUDING heavyweights David Haye and Dereck Chisora, and promoter Frank Warren, have been accused of bringing the sport into disrepute by the British Boxing Board of Control for licensing their fight through the Luxembourg Boxing Federation.
Haye and Chisora are scheduled to fight at Upton Park on 14 July after their February brawl at a press conference in Germany, an incident for which Chisora’s licence was withdrawn by the BBBofC. Though he and promoter Warren have appealed against the decision, their appeal would not be heard until 2 July, seriously jeopardising the fight.
Warren consequently enlisted the assistance of the Luxembourg authorities in staging the promotion, something he claims is both “legal and lawful” but which the BBBofC condemns.
Also declaring Chisora “not a fit and proper person to hold a boxer’s licence”, a statement issued by the BBBofC’s General Secretary Robert Smith underlined the board’s opposition to the development.
It read: “Those behind this proposal are not concerned with the interests of the sport of professional boxing. Any member who participates in such a promotion would bring the sport of boxing into disrepute and would wholly undermine the authority of the British Boxing Board of Control.
“This is nothing more than an attempt to circumvent the decision of the stewards of the British Boxing Board of Control, in respect of Dereck Chisora, for monetary gain. Dereck Chisora’s proper remedy is by way of appeal to the Independent Stewards of Appeal.
“The British Boxing Board of Control has made its position clear to the Luxembourg Boxing Federation, the European Boxing Union and World Sanctioning Organisations and has already received strong support.
“Further, the stewards of the British Boxing Board of Control make it clear that the British Boxing Board of Control will assume no responsibility in respect of any aspect of such promotion and any participation therein would not be covered by any insurance policy taken out by the Board.”
Rival promoters Frank Maloney and Barry Hearn have also questioned the fight, fearing it undermines the BBBofC’s control of the domestic boxing scene.