Boxing authorities launch initial proposals for the return of the sport after the coronavirus crisis

The fighters will be quarantined and only five fights will be allowed on each card when boxing returns after the coronavirus crisis.

The sport was suspended in the UK in March and will not resume before July, with the fighting likely to take place behind closed doors for months.

The country remains closed until May 7, but the government is expected to announce few significant changes next week.

And the British Boxing Board of Control has released its initial proposals for when sanction events are given the green light.

“At this time there is no date for the blockade to end,” the statement said. “Public health and safety are everyone’s top priority and the British Boxing Board of Control is taking advice from the Government so that we can better advise all of our licensees on when to resume professional Boxing in the UK.

“We recognize that licensees will want to prepare to lift the restrictions and resume the sport. It is important to recognize that when professional boxing promotions can resume, there may be restrictions.

“Depending on government decisions, it is expected that professional boxing will begin in July 2020 and we will continue to do everything possible to do so and we are working closely with our promoters.

“Initially, mass attendance promotions are unlikely to be allowed.

“In that situation, the emphasis will be on a minimum number of officials, licensees, promoter team members and broadcast staff to facilitate a tournament that meets all of the BBBofC security requirements.

“No tournament will be allowed to run unless the venue has been approved by the BBBofC after the government shutdown is lifted.”

The next scheduled show for the UK is the Eddie Hearn card in Newcastle, headed by Lewis Ritson on June 27.

But that will have to be moved, along with Dillian Whyte’s clash with Alexander Povetkin, which will take place in Manchester on July 4.