Search icon

Sport

28th Nov 2017

Billy Joe Saunders in hot water after posting disgusting tweet

Even his promoter has criticised him

Darragh Murphy

Billy Joe Saunders is never too far away from controversy.

The reigning WBO middleweight champion has been praised in recent weeks for his improved dedication and impressive body transformation but Saunders badly needs to change his behaviour when it comes to what he says on social media.

The undefeated Brit finds himself in hot water for the below tweet which can be described as nothing other than disgusting.

The tweet has since been deleted but it will still result in a British Boxing Board of Control discussion about a potential punishment for the fighter who will defend his title against David Lemieux in a little over two weeks’ time.

Robert Smith, BBBofC general secretary, told the Daily Mail: “As in his previous case, this will have to go before one of our meetings. I have already spoken to Billy Joe’s manager and promoter and asked them to talk to him about the dangers of social media.”

Saunders has come in for criticism in the past for what he’s posted on Twitter and not even his promoter, Frank Warren, was able to defend him on this occasion.

After referencing the racist message from Anthony Joshua’s Instagram account which has made recent headlines, Warren claimed he had scolded Saunders for the post.

“I hope similar action is being taken against Anthony Joshua for tweeting about black supremacy,” Warren said.

“What Billy Joe has done is completely unacceptable. As usual he is claiming someone else did it. But if it wasn’t him, then who on earth was it?

“I’ve given him a dressing down. This was schoolboy smut from someone behaving like a stupid juvenile.

“But while I give Joshua all the credit for repackaging himself after a troubled start to his life, for him or anyone else from any background to claim any kind of racial superiority is far worse.”

Saunders recently received flak for an interview with boxing reporter Michelle Joy Phelps in which the fighter joked about the dietary benefits of female genitalia.

He just can’t help but court controversy…