Boxpark CEO has stated that he will stand with boxing veteran Julius Francis after he knocked out an aggressive punter. The authorities have also confirmed that they will take no further action.
Julius Francis currently worked a gig as security at Boxpark Wembley. The famed heavyweight boxer made headlines following an incident during outside the venue. Several men were having a heated argument while the security stood idly by, including Francis.
Not long after, those men escalated their interactions and things got a bit rough. The security started taking action and tried to separate them. One of the men who got physical there could be seen approaching Francis with clenched fists. Francis wouldn’t let him get close and delivered a fast right hook, instantly knocking out the guy.
The person filming the incident can he heard saying, “Oh sh*t” as he hits the ground. Another pedestrian also thought that Francis went too far by shouting “There was no need, there was no need”.
Some people believe that Julius Francis was needlessly violent. However, Boxpark CEO and founder Roger Wade defended Francis for his behavior. Wade said Francis and his fellow security guards have done the right thing by patiently trying to stop the altercation. And Francis only defended himself.
“Woke up to a viral story about one of our security team. Julius Francis is ex-UK heavyweight boxing champion, he is one of the nicest people I have ever met and helps train young underprivileged kids boxing in his spare time.”
“My understanding is that Julius and our security team spent 15 minutes stopping this man and his friends from abusing, spitting, and hitting our customers and staff. They carefully escorted him from the premises under constant provocation and violence. Finally, the person approached Julius in a confrontational manner and he defended himself.”
“Acts of violence or abuse to any staff members should never be tolerated. How would you react if someone approached you violently? What would you do next if you were in my shoes? #IStandWithJulius” Wade said on his Linkedin account.
The Metropolitan Police also released a statement saying they won’t arrest anyone following the incident. They said they have asked several witnesses and reviewed footage from many security cameras and decided to not take any further action.
“The incident took place shortly after 17.00hrs on Saturday 11 June. Officers were called and attended the venue. A group had been ejected and one male customer had become involved in a confrontation with security staff. Officers have spoken to all parties involved and have reviewed relevant CCTV. No further action will be taken in relation to the incident involving the security guard and male customer.” The statement reads.