'No chance' of Tyson Fury v Deontay Wilder going behind closed doors, says Frank Warren
- Published
Frank Warren is Tyson Fury's promoter
Boxing must "avoid being left behind" amid the coronavirus pandemic but there is "no chance" of bouts like Tyson Fury v Deontay Wilder going behind closed doors, promoter Frank Warren says.
Warren was speaking after details emerged of the British Boxing Board of Control's plans for a July return.
The 68-year-old added that the first UK fights to get the go-ahead are likely to be "British-title level".
"There’s not going to be big-name fighters out there," Warren said.
"There is no chance of Fury v Wilder behind closed doors."
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Warren added: "We’re talking British-title level and the undercard will be the kids, who I don’t want to go away from the sport because they can’t get a living from it."
In a five-page consultation document sent to UK promoters and seen by BBC Sport, the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) says a planned July restart will initially see events contain no more than five bouts and no "championship contests".
Fights would be behind closed doors and follow “strict government guidelines".
Warren says the ideas in the BBBofC documents - which he says were "leaked by someone” - are “98% spot on” and were the result of consultations with a number of promoters.
However, fellow promoter Eddie Hearn said the proposals provided "huge barriers to overcome", while another industry insider described the document as "farcical".
The proposed new rules include boxers on British fight shows being required to wear protective masks during ring walks and they could also be banned from using a spit bucket between rounds.
The BBBofC contacted BBC Sport on Wednesday and said none of the proposed rules were binding and that the views of promoters will be considered over the coming weeks.
Asked if July was too soon to return, Warren said: “We are all in the same boat as rugby, cricket, football... we are trying to stage sport behind closed doors.
"As far as boxing is concerned, there are some fighters who are struggling at the moment - they haven’t got a living, no dates to train for.
“We don’t want to get left behind while other sports appear back on TV. We don’t want to get lost, we want to be out there.”
Warren added that boxing shows would only have “50 or 60” people involved, compared to many more for a football or rugby match.
“For us, with five fights per show, that’s 10 participants in total plus their trainers,” he said. “As things get safer then things can expand.”
On Wednesday it was announced the UK now has the highest number of coronavirus deaths in Europe.
'Boxing but not as we know it'
Manchester fighter Anthony Crolla says he expects boxing will "not run smoothly" under strict guidelines put forward by the BBBofC.
The 33-year-old former WBA lightweight champion, also speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, said: "We have the best boxing board around the world and they are trying to do their best.
"No matter how hard they try, those rules won't be followed to the letter - it will be impossible
"A boxer can't spit in a bucket? What if that fighter has a mouthful of blood?"
Crolla says event organisers will "do their best" but bouts without fans will be "very strange".
"I want to see boxing back more than anything but I'm not sure how smoothly it can run," he added.
"Officials and boxers having to self-isolate after or before it?
"There's so many fighters that feed off an atmosphere and there will be no atmosphere in a studio with a handful of people there."
- Published29 November 2021
