It has come to the attention of the Stewards of the British Boxing Board of Control that the Luxembourg Boxing Federation is considering putting on a promotion within the jurisdiction of the Board between Dereck Chisora and David Haye. The Stewards condemn any attempt by the Luxembourg Boxing Federation to do so.
Dereck Chisora has recently had his licence withdrawn by the Stewards of the British Boxing Board of Control on the ground that he is not a fit and proper person to hold a boxer’s licence. David Haye does not hold a boxer’s licence with the British Boxing Board of Control. If he applied for a licence his fitness to hold a licence would have to be considered, particularly in light of the part he played in what occurred at the press conference held subsequent to the Vitali Klitschko v Dereck Chisora contest.
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, of which he/she is a member, as the regulatory body for professional boxing in the United Kingdom. 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, which is due to take place on the 2nd July 2012.
The British Boxing Board of Control has controlled and regulated professional boxing in the United Kingdom since 1929. Its primary concern is the safety of the boxer and its regulations have been developed and implemented accordingly. It has also ensured that the rules of boxing are enforced to the highest standard. Its reputation as a regulatory body is second to none within the wider boxing world. It can only act effectively with the consent and support of its members.
The Articles of Association (the “Constitution”) of the British Boxing Board of Control, to which every member has agreed to be bound, make it perfectly clear that the object of the British Boxing Board of Control is to control and regulate boxing in the United Kingdom. Any member of the British Boxing Board of Control who participates in any way in a promotion such as that referred to above would thereby evince an intention not to be bound by the Constitution of the British Boxing Board of Control and would act in a manner wholly incompatible therewith. In such circumstances the British Boxing Board of Control would accept that member’s repudiation of the Constitution as terminating his/her membership of the British Boxing Board of Control and his/her licence.
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 for its stance. As stated above, the British Boxing Board of Control does not approve of such a promotion taking place within its jurisdiction and will not supply any of its officials to officiate at such a promotion. For the avoidance of doubt, any member of the British Boxing Board of Control who participates in any way in such a promotion will be deemed to have terminated his/her membership of the British Boxing Board of Control and his/her licence therewith, for the reasons stated above.
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.
Participation includes taking any steps directly or indirectly, to arrange, advertise, broadcast, facilitate, officiate or take part in any way in such a promotion.
