What would you do if you were the Board?

[Lightsoot]

The Board are currently locked in discussions and will make a statement later today about Haye-Chisora & Luxembourg etc. Some people on this forum, me included, are calling for them to take swift and stern action. But, realistically, what should and what can they do?

What would you do? Are the Board effectively on a hiding to nothing here? So, the options are thus:

1. Firm action. Strip Warren's UK license from him and any UK boxers who appear on the Haye-Chisora show? But on what grounds (Warren is fronting but not promoting the fight??) and ultimately what might this achieve?

2. Aggressive action. Seek an injunction (I doubt this is possible) preventing the fight from happening in Britain?

3. Damage limitation - fastrack Chisora's appeal date, give him a suspended ban with a view to coming to an arrangement with Allegedly that Haye-Chisora must happen under BBBofC jurisdiction to avoid this setting a precedent?

[Newport Daz]

I don't see what they can do. From a legal standpoint they're stuffed and if they start banning boxers for appearing on the card I'm sure there'll be legal ramifications against them too. And what's stopping other UK fighters dropping their UK liscences when they expire and get Luxembourg ones? The Luxemborg comission is recognised by the EBU, WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO, so holding their liscence is hardly going to be detrimental to a boxer's career.

Personally I think the BBBoC has brought this on themselves. In terms of corporate governance they are one of the worst run organisations in the UK and are finally reaping what they have sown.

I expect a strongly worded statement of how they disapprove and that'll be it.

[bripez]

It would be good for the BBBofC to do "something".

Whatever they do is secondary to a certain degree - they need to come out with a plan of action (whatever that may be, whether we agree with it or not).

The worst (and unfortunately most likely) thing they will do is nothing - or at best some wishy washy statement about "due process" that will mean nothing, and people will soon forget, allowing them to do nothing and not address the situation.

[Gray-Fox]

Personally I think the BBBoC has brought this on themselves. In terms of corporate governance they are one of the worst run organisations in the UK and are finally reaping what theyve sown

This

[hitman_hatton1]

they revoked a fighters licence who did wrong.

same old same old with fish eyes.

all about making money with his grubby little channel.

[bfchunk]

It should be the damage limitation approach.

They should also try to arrange a meeting with Haye and sort his licence out albeit with a slapped wrist.

[Lightsoot]

(For once I'm being 100% serious, there is no mixed message here)

The best way for the Board to limit damage and make this story go away is to fast-track Chisora's hearing, give him his licence back and lend their full support to the show. This will make them look weak but it will prevent a precedent from being set and buy them the time to carry out a root and branch review of precisely what their role should be going forward; and, more importantly, determine how much power they actually have the capacity to effectively wield. Any other course of action will prove more costly, in every sense of the word.

P.S. this is what I think the Board should do, it's not what I'd do.

Can you elaborate on what you would do, Macho? And, if so, do you think your strategy would be successful? I'm not trying to stitch you up - just trying to get a feel for people's views.

[smoggy7188]

Give Chisora his license back but give him a very tough suspended ban so if he steps out of line once he will get atleast a year long ban. Give Haye a fine and give him his license back and give him a suspended ban and ban him for 6months if he steps out of line.

[Lightsoot]

It should be the damage limitation approach.

They should also try to arrange a meeting with Haye and sort his licence out albeit with a slapped wrist.

Ok, but they're reliant on Haye actually wanting a license to fight under the BBBofC's ruling. There's no current pressure on Haye to do so but I can understand your point.

[Lightsoot]

Give Chisora his license back but give him a very tough suspended ban so if he steps out of line once he will get atleast a year long ban. Give Haye a fine and give him his license back and give him a suspended ban and ban him for 6months if he steps out of line.

Thanks Smoggy - interesting. Let me give you a scenario - Chisora does step out of line, the Board ban him for say, a year, and....??? Won't he just go down the Luxembourg route again?

Do the Board need to get tough with the guys pulling the strings behind the scenes rather than directly with the boxers? Wouldn't this be more effective?

[smoggy7188]

From what i understand if he gets a ban he goes on the european boxing watchlist(or something like that) so he will be unable to get a license anywhere.

[smoggy7188]

I think if you go after Warren and ban him he will just run things through his sons promotional company. I think thats why he got them to introduce the Queensbury boxing club or whatever it is called.

[Lightsoot]

I think if you go after Warren and ban him he will just run things through his sons promotional company. I think thats why he got them to introduce the Queensbury boxing club or whatever it is called.

Yes, there is a wider picture. Andy Ayling has also bid for fights before. I don't envy the Board this week.

[smoggy7188]

It would be funny if they gave Chisora his license back. Delboy gets his license then they they automatically ban him. The board are screwed whatever they do.

[Lightsoot]

(For once I'm being 100% serious, there is no mixed message here)

The best way for the Board to limit damage and make this story go away is to fast-track Chisora's hearing, give him his licence back and lend their full support to the show. This will make them look weak but it will prevent a precedent from being set and buy them the time to carry out a root and branch review of precisely what their role should be going forward; and, more importantly, determine how much power they actually have the capacity to effectively wield. Any other course of action will prove more costly, in every sense of the word.

P.S. this is what I think the Board should do, it's not what I'd do.

Can you elaborate on what you would do, Macho? And, if so, do you think your strategy would be successful? I'm not trying to stitch you up - just trying to get a feel for people's views.

I'd not have got myself into this predicament in the first place.

Sure, but they are where they are. As Smoggy alluded too, if they waved a stick at Frank there are others waiting in the wings and it would effectively be 'business as usual'. Everyone bemoans the Board for being weak but no one, as yet, has provided a single, coherent strategy to address the balance.

As you suggest, they needed to grow a pair years ago, but it's never too late.

[The Insider]

Option 3 may not even be an option any more.

FW does not need either fighter to hold a BBBOC boxers licence, nor does he need the boards blessing.

A meeting of Board Stewards (and solicitors I'd imagine) is happening right now and unless they can pull a rabbit from the hat I think the damage has already been done. FW has proved how powerless the Board are to oversee and regulate boxing in their own back yard. The secrets out, and if it doesn't happen this time it will happen soon.

Short of rushing a bill through parliament that makes the BBBOC a statutory sole arbiter of boxing in the UK I think they are powerless to do anything.

[The Insider]

Short of rushing a bill through parliament that makes the BBBOC a statutory sole arbiter of boxing in the UK I think they are powerless to do anything.

That won't happen and should never be allowed to happen.

It won't happen today or even in the near future.

I'm not a fan of the board and I'm not a fan of FW but I know who I would rather have running things.

[Chris W 1982]

Do we need a British Boxing Board of Control?

[Lightsoot]

Do we need a British Boxing Board of Control?

I'm not sure we do, Chris, but presumably we don't need Bruce Baker, Luxembourg and the Eurovision Song Contest either?

There has to be, in my opinion, a uniformed, strong and viable alternative otherwise.

[stujones]

The Board are currently locked in discussions and will make a statement later today about Haye-Chisora & Luxembourg etc. Some people on this forum, me included, are calling for them to take swift and stern action. But, realistically, what should and what can they do?

What would you do? Are the Board effectively on a hiding to nothing here? So, the options are thus:

1. Firm action. Strip Warren's UK license from him and any UK boxers who appear on the Haye-Chisora show? But on what grounds (Warren is fronting but not promoting the fight??) and ultimately what might this achieve?

2. Aggressive action. Seek an injunction (I doubt this is possible) preventing the fight from happening in Britain?

3. Damage limitation - fastrack Chisora's appeal date, give him a suspended ban with a view to coming to an arrangement with Allegedly that Haye-Chisora must happen under BBBofC jurisdiction to avoid this setting a precedent?

Hi Ben, I don't think it is clear or not what is Warren's official stance with the fight. From how I've read it the loop hole means Warren could optain a luxemberg licence to promote it? He was making comparisons of other BBBoC licenced promoters using other licences to promote shows abroad. For example, Hennessy's promoting in Canada.

As Luxemberg is the EU, you can host a show in the UK.

[jonnyyorkshu]

Tough one this and I think the BBBofC is in a lose lose situation.
Damned if they do,damned if they dont.Just sweep it under the rug and move on

[grub]

The Board are currently locked in discussions and will make a statement later today about Haye-Chisora & Luxembourg etc. Some people on this forum, me included, are calling for them to take swift and stern action. But, realistically, what should and what can they do?

What would you do? Are the Board effectively on a hiding to nothing here? So, the options are thus:

1. Firm action. Strip Warren's UK license from him and any UK boxers who appear on the Haye-Chisora show? But on what grounds (Warren is fronting but not promoting the fight??) and ultimately what might this achieve?

2. Aggressive action. Seek an injunction (I doubt this is possible) preventing the fight from happening in Britain?

3. Damage limitation - fastrack Chisora's appeal date, give him a suspended ban with a view to coming to an arrangement with Allegedly that Haye-Chisora must happen under BBBofC jurisdiction to avoid this setting a precedent?

My two-penneth for what its worth: I think the Board are in a no-win position and the actual general weakness of their control over boxing in the UK has been thrust into the spotlight by this affair. However, I think they have got to try and do something and damage limitation is the way forward. I'm not sure why they put Chisora's appeal date back so far...they should bring it forward and punish him with a fine and/or suspended ban....but reinstate his license.

I'm assuming Haye having a foreign license is not a problem and wouldn't (or shouldn't) stop them sanctioning the fight (having sorted the Chisora situation) despite his actions in Germany.

[jonnyyorkshu]

The BBBofC need to get their lives sorted out pronto. Have a look at this: http://www.bbbofc.com/. What's the Board's role? What authority do they have? How does their organisation work? They apparently want to be taken seriously and carry the burden of responsibility for the sport in this country, yet even something as simple as their website (public face) is barely fit for purpose.

Great points Macho,They have a say over British level fighters and below but fighters above this level they seem to have no power over at all.Another example is Danny Williams.U can just go to any EU country and apply for a licence.

They could get the goverment to pull out the EU,make every british boxer who wants to fight in this country sign a exclusive deal with them and run the whole show. DD DD DD

[Lightsoot]

The Board are currently locked in discussions and will make a statement later today about Haye-Chisora & Luxembourg etc. Some people on this forum, me included, are calling for them to take swift and stern action. But, realistically, what should and what can they do?

What would you do? Are the Board effectively on a hiding to nothing here? So, the options are thus:

1. Firm action. Strip Warren's UK license from him and any UK boxers who appear on the Haye-Chisora show? But on what grounds (Warren is fronting but not promoting the fight??) and ultimately what might this achieve?

2. Aggressive action. Seek an injunction (I doubt this is possible) preventing the fight from happening in Britain?

3. Damage limitation - fastrack Chisora's appeal date, give him a suspended ban with a view to coming to an arrangement with Allegedly that Haye-Chisora must happen under BBBofC jurisdiction to avoid this setting a precedent?

Hi Ben, I don't think it is clear or not what is Warren's official stance with the fight. From how I've read it the loop hole means Warren could optain a luxemberg licence to promote it? He was making comparisons of other BBBoC licenced promoters using other licences to promote shows abroad. For example, Hennessy's promoting in Canada.

As Luxemberg is the EU, you can host a show in the UK.

Hi Stu,

Agreed Warren's involvement, to me, remains unclear. I did however agree with his assertion about other promoters throwing stones - the most obviously example being Barry Hearn promoting Herol Graham vs Julian Jackson in Spain.

[Lightsoot]

The Board are currently locked in discussions and will make a statement later today about Haye-Chisora & Luxembourg etc. Some people on this forum, me included, are calling for them to take swift and stern action. But, realistically, what should and what can they do?

What would you do? Are the Board effectively on a hiding to nothing here? So, the options are thus:

1. Firm action. Strip Warren's UK license from him and any UK boxers who appear on the Haye-Chisora show? But on what grounds (Warren is fronting but not promoting the fight??) and ultimately what might this achieve?

2. Aggressive action. Seek an injunction (I doubt this is possible) preventing the fight from happening in Britain?

3. Damage limitation - fastrack Chisora's appeal date, give him a suspended ban with a view to coming to an arrangement with Allegedly that Haye-Chisora must happen under BBBofC jurisdiction to avoid this setting a precedent?

Hi Ben, I don't think it is clear or not what is Warren's official stance with the fight. From how I've read it the loop hole means Warren could optain a luxemberg licence to promote it? He was making comparisons of other BBBoC licenced promoters using other licences to promote shows abroad. For example, Hennessy's promoting in Canada.

As Luxemberg is the EU, you can host a show in the UK.

Hi Stu,

Agreed Warren's involvement, to me, remains unclear. I did however agree with his assertion about other promoters throwing stones - the most obviously example being Barry Hearn promoting Herol Graham vs Julian Jackson in Spain.