Liam Wilkins and Hasan Karkardi appeal decision to withdraw their boxing licences

Boxing trainer Liam Wilkins and boxer Hasan Karkardi will appeal against a decision to withdraw their licences following an unsanctioned sparring session which left Nick Blackwell fighting for his life, the pair have told Sky Sports News HQ.

The sparring session between Hasan Karkardi and Nick Blackwell in November took place eight months after Blackwell retired from boxing after suffering a bleed on the skull following a fight with Chris Eubank Jr.

Last week the Boxing Board of Control announced that they were suspending the licences of Karkardi, a light-heavyweight who has won seven and lost one of his eight professional contests to date and trainer Wilkins, the trainer who oversaw the sparring session.

Blackwell is reportedly unable to walk and faces up to a year before he makes a full recovery. The 26-year-old also faces further surgery to replace part of his skull which was removed.

On Thursday the pair issued the following joint statement: "During this disciplinary process, which we fully understand is both sensitive and of great public interest, out of respect for both Nick Blackwell and the process itself, both Hasan and I have so far remained silent as to our position.

"However, having attended the hearing which took place before the Stewards of the British Boxing Board of Control in Cardiff last Wednesday 11th January, and the decision of the Stewards which was communicated both to us and on the Board's website on Friday afternoon [January 13], we feel we have to make a short statement to defend our reputation given the continuing negative coverage we are both receiving.

"The statement made by the Board made no mention whatsoever of the fact that we have the right to appeal the Stewards' decision, which gave a misleading impression that the proceedings had been concluded.

"The appeal has to be made within 14 clear days of the receipt of the decision in accordance with Regulation 28 of the Board's Rules and Regulations 2016 [which is not a publicly available document].

"We would like to make clear that we wrote to the Board and gave them the opportunity to correct the statement. However, despite it being in the interests of good governance to do so, they refused saying there was no obligation upon them to mention the right to appeal.

"Needless to say, we will be filing our formal notice of appeal within the deadline specified and in doing so we will be challenging both the Board's procedure and their findings as to the facts, which were made in the face of a substantial documentary and witness evidence to the contrary.

"Finally, we wish to make it clear that this unfortunate incident, and subsequent disciplinary action, has absolutely nothing to do with Devizes Amateur Boxing Club in Wiltshire.

"We will be making no further comment until the appeal process has concluded."