'Frightening, disturbing': Billy Joe Saunders apologizes for video teaching men how to hit women in quarantine
British boxing champion, Billy Joe Saunders has issued a public apology after coming under fire for condoning domestic violence during the ongoing lockdown period in a viral video,
In a leaked WhatsApp video, the 30-year-old is seen practicing boxing with a punching bag hanging in his barn. The moves are accompanied by his commentary alluding the boxing to how men can hit their female partners if they get into an argument while in isolation.
"Just wanted to make a little video for all you dads, husbands, if you've got girlfriends," the super-middleweight world champ said in the video. "Obviously this Covid-19 is getting very serious and we are isolated away in right spaces."
"If your old woman is giving you mouth and you try to be patient, you try to be calm, cool, but after the sixth day you're just about to explode", he continued. "All of a sudden she's coming at you, spitting a bit of venom in your face, ready to say something, you may have left the dishes out, I don't know what you've done but you've upset her."
While steading the punching bag, he said "As she comes in, she's coming at you and you've lost it, just keep it safe with the hands. So as she comes in, she's just about to say something, all of a sudden you explode and hit her on the chin," and smashed into beg just as he says 'explode'.
"At this time she may flash and see white and think, 'What's happened?', she's in a state of a horror".
Swinging in for a sharp left hook he says to the camera "She doesn't know what's going on and all of a sudden you dip down on that knee and you finish her off. That should do the trick," he added.
Two hours after the video was published by the Mirror, Saunders sent out a tweet where he claimed he "would never condone domestic violence."
"If I saw a man touch a woman I would smash him to pieces myself I have a Daughter and if a man laid a finger on her it would be end well. Apologies if I offended any women stay blessed x."
Saunders is known for being a controversial magnet since 2018 when he filmed two Instagram videos. In one he asked a drug-addict, Lyndsey Fox, to perform a sex act for £150 (about $187) worth of crack cocaine and in the other, asked her to punch a random passer-by.
Earlier in March, an audio clip went viral on social media, where Saunder's is recorded laughing as he recalled how he tricked his friend into showing his flight details before calling Delta airlines to tell them, "He's got coronavirus and he's getting on the plane." The friend in question was unified light-welterweight Josh Taylor who with two other acquaintances of Saunders was then hauled of the flight bound for New York from Las Vegas. Later, Saunders claimed he was only trying to inform Delta airlines about one of them displaying coronavirus-like symptoms.
The fighter was fined £100,000 (about $124,550) and admonished for 'bringing the sport into disrepute'.
Twitter users were less than happy when the offensive video surfaced and expressed their displeasure.
"Billy Joe Saunders gave a video tutorial on hitting women, then said 'apologies if I offended any women.' Two hours after saying that, Saunders sent this reply threatening violence against women, to someone who had the audacity to say he was 'difficult to like.' Wow," one user tweeted.
Another wrote, "I don't know who this Billy Joe Saunders is. I just know that his video was frightening & extremely disturbing. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS NOT FUNNY!"
A third one referenced his tweet to one of Saunder's previous matches saying, "Wow Billy Joe Saunders once again proved that he’s a major s**t c**t. Domestic violence isn’t funny, But Billy Joe inevitably getting knocked the f**k out by Canelo is a barrel of laughs."
"Was going on yesterday about how Billy Joe Saunders is class, now I look like a right d***head", another quipped.