Billy Joe Saunders Could Be in Hot Water With British Board
Billy Joe Saunders is to have remarks he made on social media over the weekend examined at the next British Boxing Board of Control meeting.
Saunders has been criticised for posting a photo on his official Twitter account of a sales assistant working at a shopping centre in Sheffield wearing large gold earings accompanied by stubble and a ponytale.
Above the picture published on Sunday, the WBO world middleweight champion wrote: “Walking through Meadowhall Sheffield ”and see this (emoji) confused”.
Saunders has since insisted he is not homophobic in response to the condemnation, but refused to apologise and the BBBoC are to investigate the matter.
“The British Boxing Board of Control are aware of comments made by professional Boxer Billy Joe Saunders on social media and will consider the matter at their next Board meeting,” a statement read.
The Sheffield-based fighter, who is scheduled to return to the ring on September 16th at Copper Box in London, has apparently been reported to police for hate crime following the tweeting incident.
The tweet was directed at city shop assistant Jonny Marsh, who was sporting makeup, long hair and hoop ear-rings. Saunders said Marsh was "confused" and that: "I don't think its right for kids to see."
Saunders, 27, then blasted his critics that demanded he post a public apology.
He told his 92,000 followers: "Just to clear the homophobic rubbish up not at all in that way ' I won't apologise/ if you don't like it f*** off my Twitter EndOF."
A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police has refused to confirm whether Saunders was being investigated and issued a short statement which read: "We can neither confirm nor deny the identity of any individual who may or may not be under investigation."
