WBO super middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders had his licence suspended by British boxing authorities.
The Matchroom Boxing fighter - a stablemate of Kiwi Joseph Parker - published a social media post in which he advised men how to hit their female partners during the coronavirus lockdown.
The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) says that Saunders' licence will be suspended, until a hearing can be arranged under its misconduct regulations.
Saunders had filmed himself punching a bag in a barn and advising "dads, husbands and men with girlfriends" how to deal with their female partners during the coronavirus lockdown.
"If your old woman is giving you a little bit of mouth and you try to be patient... but about the sixth day, you're just about to explode," he said in the video, before demonstrating how to "hit her on the chin".
Saunders apologised for the video on social media over the weekend and again on British radio station TalkSPORT on Tuesday (NZ time), when he also pledged to donate 25,000 pounds to domestic abuse charities.
"I just want to say sorry again for everyone I've offended," he said on TalkSPORT. "I looked at it as a bit of a joke at first.
"I obviously wasn't thinking right, but looking back at it now, I can clearly see the destruction it has caused among the women suffering from domestic violence.
"It was a silly mistake, but I didn't intentionally mean to cause harm to anyone and I certainly wouldn't promote domestic violence."
Saunders was scheduled to face Mexican Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in a super middleweight unification bout on May 2 in Las Vegas, before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Briton, who is unbeaten in 29 bouts and held a world title in the middleweight division, before moving up to super-middleweight, was fined 100,000 pounds by boxing administrators in September 2018 for a previous social media post.
On that occasion, Saunders posted a social media video in which he offered a woman drugs to perform a sex act on another person.
Where to find help and support:
- Shine (domestic violence) - 0508 744 633
- Women's Refuge - 0800 733 843 (0800 REFUGE)
- Need to Talk? - Call or text 1737
- What's Up - 0800 WHATS UP (0800 942 8787)
- Lifeline - 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland
- Youthline - 0800 376 633, text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat
- Samaritans - 0800 726 666
- Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
- Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
- Shakti Community Council - 0800 742 584
Reuters
