Duff fined for Eubank insults

BOXING

Mickey Duff was yesterday fined £5,000 by the British Boxing Board of Control for bringing the sport into disrepute by calling Chris Eubank "scum" before a world title fight two months ago. He immediately branded the decision "unfair" and said he would be lodging an appeal.

The incident occurred on the eve of Eubank's successful defence of the World Boxing Organisation super-middleweight title against Henry Wharton. Duff, who manages Wharton, also referred to Eubank as "the lowest of the low" at a televised press conference.

"I will be taking counsel's opinion and then appealing," Duff said. "I feel I have been unfairly dealt with. There is one rule for Chris Eubank and one for me. If he can have freedom of speech, so can I."

Meanwhile, Eubank hinted that he could instigate civil proceedings against Duff for his remarks. "I shall be seeking advice from my lawyers," the boxer said. "They will tell me if this makes up for what was said."

Frank Bruno was unaware he carried a £1,000 reward on his head during the build-up to Saturday's fight against Rodolfo Marin of Puerto Rico. His trainer, George Francis, offered the secret bonus to any of Bruno's three sparring partners if they could knock him down at his Lanzarote training camp.

Francis dangled the bait to make Bruno as sharp as possible after just 142 seconds of public action in 16 months, but no one was able to claim the reward.

Marin, who has been training in Miami, has 16 stoppage victories on his record. "I've come to fight, not sit on the floor," he said. "Bruno is a top-rated fighter but does not really impress me. This is a chance of a world title shot for me." The victor will go forward to a World Boxing Council title challenge against Oliver McCall or Larry Holmes in the summer.