BBBofC To Hold Meeting, Discuss Whyte-Chisora Altercation
By Elliot Foster
Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora may not fight this weekend.
The pair are set to meet on Saturday (December 10) at Manchester Arena, exclusively live on Sky Sports Box Office, with the former’s British heavyweight title up for grabs.
But after they clashed at Wednesday’s press conference at a Manchester hotel, the British Boxing Board of Control could cancel the fight, which is the chief support contest to Anthony Joshua’s second IBF world heavyweight title defence against Eric Molina.
Chisora (26-6, 18 KOs) lost his cool and lashed a table in the direction of his opponent (19-1, 15 KOs), with it narrowly missing the show’s promoter Eddie Hearn, Sky Sports’ head of boxing Adam Smith and Whyte’s trainer Mark Tibbs.
There was verbal sparring between the pair prior to the incident which forced security personnel to intervene.
Robert Smith, the general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, said in the aftermath that action will be taken against the pair and it has now been revealed that the Board will meet in Manchester today (Thursday) at 3pm to discuss potential sanctions, with an official decision expected on Thursday evening.
“I’ve been made aware of it,” the aforementioned Smith said. “I’ve watched it a couple of times and I’m disgusted by it. There will be action taken.”
It is understood, though it is unlikely, that the Board are considering cancelling the fight, which is an official eliminator for the WBC world title currently held by Deontay Wilder.
Boxing Scene understands that the aforementioned Hearn will be spoken to about the conditions of the fight and a fine is the most likely outcome in terms of punishment.
The pair will weigh in separately on Friday in an effort to avoid any further violence ahead of Saturday’s bout.
Chisora has been involved in scuffles in the past. He and David Haye clashed after Chisora lost to Vitali Klitschko in 2012. The pair then met in the ring later that year and Haye stopped Chisora inside five rounds at Upton Park.
