David Haye in trouble with BBBC due to betting comments
These days the British Boxing Board of Control have their work cut out for them.
Following a heavyweight title match Saturday night between champion David Haye and challenger Audley Harrison, both fighters are subject to BBBC investigations for their actions.
Immediately after knocking out Harrison in the third round, Haye said he and family had bet on winning the fight in the third round, perking the ears of the BBBC.
Though Haye retracted the statement on BBC Radio Five, the board said they will still be meeting to discuss repercussions as fighters are strictly prohibited from betting on themselves.
"He has come out and denied what he said [in the ring] and I accept he said that,” BBBC secretary Robert Smith said to Reuters. “But we will have a board meeting and discuss what we are going to do,”
he added. “We have a strict regulation that doesn't allow betting.”
The probing into Haye’s comments comes at a time when the board is simultaneously considering denying opponent Harrison his full purse. The board indicated they may withhold an amount of the $1.61-million
due to Harrison failing to meet basic measures of competition in the bout.
Smith said of Harrison: “We have the power to [withhold his purse]," Smith said. “I've had a discussion with the chairman [Charles Giles] and ultimately we can in certain circumstances retain a percentage
of a boxer's purse.”
In the fight Harrison appeared completely without confidence and intimidated by the smaller Haye.
As regards WBA champ Haye, Smith said: “We are fairly happy that he didn't do anything but we will discuss it in two weeks' time.”
In light of the victory Haye is expected to enter negotiations with the Klitschko brothers, who hold three of four major heavyweight titles. The two have negotiated in the past with success, but they
are quickly becoming the only three competitive figures in the division.
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