Dereck Chisora Loses British License, Can Fight Elsewhere

Dereck Chisora lost his license with the British Boxing Board of Control in today's meeting in Cardiff, as a result of his misconduct on the weekend of February 18, when he fought and lost to Vitali Klitschko in Munich, Germany.

The day before the fight, Chisora slapped Klitschko at the weigh-in event. On the day of the fight, he spat water into the face of Wladimir Klitschko prior to the bout, and engaged in a brawl with David Haye at the post-fight press conference.

His promoter, Frank Warren, will likely appeal the ruling, but the Board says there's no set timetable for Chisora to get his license back, and this could be a "tough move" on paper that ultimately amounts to very little. Chisora indicated he plans to fight in the United States in the meantime.

I'd say that the plan to appeal and the talk that he'll fight abroad sort of kills the idea that he was going to "take the ruling on the chin," something he'd said previously to go along with his public apology for his behavior. But that's not really unexpected, probably -- the apology and the manly talk of accepting responsibility now appears to have been more a PR stunt than anything else, perhaps with the hope that since he was being so mature about the whole thing, the Board would give him a mere lecture and a slap on the wrist, but leave him free to continue his career in Britain.

Instead, the Board chose to at least give the illusion of a harsher punishment, which Chisora and Warren appear quite loath to accept now that it's a reality.

Either way it doesn't appear Chisora will actually miss much ring time. Either he fights abroad, or they appeal and something happens at home in the UK. It's a paper ruling, as any ruling in boxing can be, and usually is.