YORK’s six professional boxers may be eligible to return to the ring in July, according to a statement by the British Boxing Board of Control.

Released to boxing promoters on Thursday, the statement revealed a number of measures, the headline one being that the governing body is hopeful that professional boxing will return in July.

At present, York has six professional boxers in 6-0 light heavyweight Michael Fafera, 4-0 featherweight Cam Shaw, 2-0 super welterweight George Davey and a trio of prospects trained by York legend Henry Wharton who are yet to debut – Mitchell Barton, Rafal Benka and Hughie Wilson.

Fafera was due to box at the Elland Road Pavilion on April 6, while Davey and Barton were scheduled to feature on the same show at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro on May 2.

Those bouts were cancelled amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has brought sport across the country to a standstill.

The last UK professional boxing show took place on March 14.

“At present there is no date for lockdown to end,” read the BBBofC statement.

“Public health and safety is everyone’s top priority and the British Boxing Board of Control is taking Government advice so that we can best advise all our licence-holders as to when professional boxing in the UK can resume.

“We recognise that licence-holders will want to prepare for restricting being lifted and sport resuming.

“It is important to recognise that when professional boxing promotions can resume there may be restrictions in place.

“Depending upon Government decision is it hopeful that professional boxing will commence in July 2020 and we will continue to use our best endeavours to do so and we are working closely with our promoters.”

Similarly to the reported intentions of other professional sports, events will go ahead behind closed doors first of all. Shows may only feature five contests too (most shows usually have around 10 bouts).

“Initially it is unlikely that crowd-attending promotions will be permitted,” added the statement.

“In that situation the emphasis will be on minimal numbers of officials, licence-holders, members of the promoter’s team and broadcasting personnel to facilitate a tournament that meets all BBBofC safety requirements.

“No tournament will be permitted to run unless the venue has been approved by the BBBofC post the Government lockdown being lifted.”

There will be a maximum of five contests on each promotion, however, this position will be reviewed by the BBBofC.

The BBBofC also listed the precautions they will take against the coronavirus.

They said: “There will be a pre-tournament medical form, Covid-19 testing and pre-tournament quarantine. Any person attending the tournament will be required to complete a BBBofC Covid-19 medical form. If a completed form is not received, then attendance at a tournament will not be permitted.

“All licence-holders and those personnel will be required to undertake Covid-19 testing.The time frame for these tests will be confirmed at a later date.

“The BBBofC will be issuing guidance to all licence-holders on the requirement for the personal protective equipment at tournaments in due course.”