BILLY JOE SAUNDERS had his trainer Ben Davison and stable-mate Josh Taylor kicked off a plane after calling Delta Airlines with a coronavirus warning – but insisted it was NOT a prank.
An audio clip surfaced on Friday which appears to reveal Saunders laughing as he recalled ringing Delta Airlines to tell them a friend of his had the deadly COVID-19 bug and was preparing to board the flight.
Billy Joe Saunders had Ben Davison and Josh Taylor kicked off a plane after calling Delta Airlines with a coronavirus warningCredit: PA:Press Association
The world champion insists the waning call was not a prankCredit: Instagram
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The WBO super-middleweight world champion says his “best mate” was kicked off the flight with Taylor and Davison also caught up in the ordeal and thrown off.
In a separate clip, the raging trio tell Saunders: “Well done Billy Joe, your plan worked. We’re not on the flight now. We’re in serious trouble bruv. So thanks for that.
“Me, Ben and Josh pulled off the plane. We may be getting a 24-hour holding because they think we’ve got [coronavirus].
“They said it’s not a laughing matter. Now we’re under severe scrutiny because Delta take it very f***ing seriously. They’re not impressed with us – they think we were in on it.”
Saunders is in Las Vegas as he prepares to face Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, with the title fight postponed amid the coronavirus outbreak.
But the two-time champion took to Twitter to say his call to Delta Airlines was not a prank, and was genuinely concerned his friend was attempting to come back to the UK with the killer bug
And only after returning a negative test was the incident deemed a joke between the pals.
He said on Twitter: “Just wanted to clear a couple of issues up that I’ve seen flying around social media today. One of my best mates was in camp with me, supposed to fly back with me yesterday.
“He didn’t fly back because he felt a little bit poorly, woke up this morning feeling in a bit worse a position. Anyway he made his decision to go back. I didn’t want him to go back.
“He was going with Ben Davison, who obviously trains me and stable-mate Josh Taylor. Anyway they pulled him off the flight once I made them aware.
“When they pulled him off the flight he had his test and thank God he didn’t have coronavirus. Like I say, it’s nothing to be laughed at, a member of my family has just been diagnosed with it in the last 24 hours.
“But once the seriousness was gone and I knew he didn’t have it, then it became a bit of a joke that he missed his flight.
“I’m very embarrassed about laughing about that because amongst friends it’s okay but it’s getting out to the public’s ears. So I just want to apologise to the public if it’s offended you.”
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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
