Billy Joe Saunders' boxing licence suspended over domestic violence 'advice' video

Boxer posted the video on social media and later admitted he made a 'silly mistake'

Billy Joe Saunders is in hot water over his video in which he advised men how to hit their female partners. PA

Billy Joe Saunders has had his licence to fight suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control after a video on social media emerged in which he advised men how to hit their female partners.

The WBO super-middleweight champion used a punch bag to demonstrate how to react if "your old woman is giving you mouth" in a video his own promoter Eddie Hearn described as "idiotic" and "unacceptable".

Sandra Horley, chief executive of national domestic abuse charity Refuge, said Saunders' conduct is "as dangerous as it is shocking".

Saunders himself admitted he made "a silly mistake", insisting his intention was not to condone spousal abuse before saying he will donate £25,000 (Dh113,000) to domestic violence charities.

But he will also have to answer to the BBBofC, which said in a statement: "The British Boxing Board of Control, having considered comments made by Billy Joe Saunders on social media, have suspended his boxer's licence pending a hearing under the board's misconduct regulation, at a time and venue to be confirmed as soon as possible."

This is not the first time the unbeaten Saunders has attracted the attention of the BBBofC, which fined the Hertfordshire southpaw £100,000 in September 2018 following an inappropriate social media video.

Speaking to talkSPORT to discuss his latest misdemeanour, Saunders said: "I said it as a bit of a joke at first. I wasn't obviously thinking.

"It was a silly mistake but I didn't mean to cause any harm to anyone and I certainly wouldn't promote domestic violence. I thought I would make a few people laugh but obviously it has flipped on the other side with people."