Billy Joe Saunders has boxing licence taken away over video appearing to encourage domestic violence

Hertfordshire boxer Billy Joe Saunders has had his licence suspended after a video was posted online in which he appeared to give advice to men on how to hit their female partners.

The footage showed Saunders, who's from Welwyn Garden City, providing tips for how men could react if “your old woman is giving you mouth” during the coronavirus lockdown.

On Monday, 30 March, the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) announced the 30-year-old would face a disciplinary hearing over the video.

A statement from the BBBC said: "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."

Following the release of the video, the 30-year-old received a fierce backlash on social media.

ITV's Piers Morgan was among those to condemn the footage, calling it "absolutely horrific".

Saunders apologised on Twitter on Sunday, saying "I would never condone domestic violence and if I saw a man touch a woman I would smash him to pieces myself". However, he has now deleted his Twitter account.

The boxer was closing in on a deal to fight Mexico's Saul 'Canelo' Álvarez in May, but that contest was postponed due to the pandemic.