Boxing: Billy Joe Saunders' son sorry for hitting Willie Monroe at weigh-in
The son of boxer Billy Joe Saunders has apologised for hitting his father's opponent Willie Monroe Jr at a feisty weigh-in before their WBO middleweight bout on the weekend.
Stevie Saunders was by the scales with his father at the weigh-in when Monroe affectionately rubbed the boy's head. Unfortunately, the young man was not appreciative of the gesture and attacked the American below the belt before he was pulled away by adults.
The elder Saunders initially did not hold any regret over the incident, tweeting: "My sons been taught when a stranger puts their hands on them they don't know punch and run away self defence [sic]."
But after beating Monroe by unanimous decision at the Copper Box Arena, Saunders handed the microphone over to his son for an apology.
"Sorry for punching you in the nuts," Stevie told Monroe in the ring.
Judges scored the fight 117-111, 115-114 and 117-112 in favour of the Englishman, helping him retain his WBO middleweight crown. Saunders now has his sights on a unification bout against Gennady Golovkin following the Kazakh's draw with Canelo Alvarez.
