British boxing's night of shame: Police seek former world champion David Haye after sensational post-fight confrontation with rival Dereck Chisora
- Police release Dereck Chisora but confirm he could still be charged with grievous bodily harm
- Officers also want to speak to David Haye but believe he may have left Germany early this morning
- Investigation follows ugly scenes last night after British boxers and their entourages brawled following world heavyweight title fight
- Haye's manager suffers a gash on his forehead and claims to have been 'glassed'
By Gavin Allen and Anthony Bond
Last updated at 8:20 PM on 19th February 2012
British boxer Dereck Chisora has been freed without charge by Munich police after the bloody brawl with rival UK fighter David Haye that shamed their sport.
Haye's whereabouts remain unknown and he is still wanted for questioning.
Chisora last night lost to Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko on a points decision in a heavyweight title fight, and the fracas happened at the post-bout press conference.
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Take that: David Haye launches a right hook which catches Dereck Chisora on the jaw during the press conference brawl in Munich last night
Clash: Dereck Chisora exchanges blows with David Haye during the post fight press conference
Enemies: Chisora and David Haye get up close and personal during the brawl
A spokesman for Munich police said Chisora was free to return to England after being detained in the German city to answer questions about the altercation.
But he could still face charges of causing grievous bodily harm.
Haye was not at his hotel this morning and did not turn up for his scheduled flight, the spokesman added.
Asked to confirm that Chisora had been released, the police spokesman replied: 'Yes.'
The boxer's trainer Don Charles was also arrested and questioned as part of the official investigation into the incident.
It followed ugly scenes last night when the two heavyweight boxers brawled with each other in the Olympiahalle, Munich.
Police said they are scrutinising videotapes from the fight to try to determine what happened and if other people should be prosecuted.
A police spokesman said before Chisora's release: 'Police picked up Mr Chisora at the airport at approximately 10.30am (German time) and are bringing him in for the investigation.
Injury: Adam Booth, trainer of David Haye, bleeds from a nasty gash on his forehead. He claimed to have been 'glassed' during the brawl
'They also picked up Mr Chisora's trainer for questioning.
'The police went to the hotel to speak to them but we had been informed they had just checked out.
'At present we do not know where Mr Haye is.
'We are currently looking for him. He was not at the hotel this morning and we have not seen him at the airport.'
The police spokesman said the investigation was 'only at the very initial stages' and said there had been no arrests following the bloody brawl.
The brawl began after Chisora allegedly mocked Haye for his poor performance against Klitschko's brother Wladimir last year and tried to goad his rival into a future bout.
Chisora then confronted Haye during the press conference and the two men grappled around the room with onlookers and entourages getting involved.
At one stage Haye swung a camera tripod violently at Chisora's trainer Don Charles after trading blows with him, while Chisora brandished a glass bottle moments later.
Haye's manager Adam Booth suffered a gash on his forehead and claimed to have been 'glassed'.
Police arrived as the incident calmed down and were on hand as Chisora eventually left the arena some time later.
After putting up a decent showing against Klitschko, Chisora and his promoter Frank Warren appeared to be trying to goad Haye into a high-profile fight between the two Londoners.
He said: 'David, you and me can get it on in London. Be quiet. David Haye is an embarrassment. Sky Sports don't do Box Office because of David Haye. He messed up Box Office for all the young fighters and I'm going to give him two slaps for that.
'If David Haye is a fighter he should fight me. Let's fight, me and you.'
Chisora also repeatedly shouted 'David, how's your toe?' at Haye, referring to the injury he blamed for his loss to Wladimir Klitschko.
Haye, ignoring a low-key win for Chisora last year, retorted: 'You've had three losses in a row (sic).'
Chisora then said: 'Do you want to tell me to my face? Tell me to my face!'
Tension: David Haye shouts at the direction of Dereck Chisora shortly before the brawl started
Weary: Chisora can be seen after the press conference brawl with blood on his T-shirt
Chisora then left the stage, approached Haye and went nose-to-nose before appearing to push the former champion and initiate the brawl which lasted at least five minutes.
While the Klitschkos stood and watched, Haye left the scene while Booth, with blood running down his face, shouted at Chisora: 'Derek, man-to-man, I want to know who glassed me. Someone hit me with a bottle.'
Chisora answered: 'Did you see me with a glass?'
Chisora was, in fact, seen with a bottle in his hand, but he was wrestled away by a security guard.
After being confronted by Booth, Chisora told Haye's trainer-manager: 'If you and David want it (the fight), then we can do it. Either in the ring or outside the ring. You let me know. I want it.
'You tell him; his entourage has got nothing on my entourage. I'm going to find him. Your boy had a bottle.'
Even by boxing's often chaotic standards the unsavoury incident was shocking, drawing gasps and cries of alarm as those involved fell about the room, knocking equipment over.
Where it should have stayed: Vitali Klitschko had earlier beaten Dereck Chisora on points
During the melee, Booth and Haye criticised the Ukrainians' manager Bernd Boente for not agreeing a fight between the Englishman and WBC champion Vitali.
After watching the unexpected drama unfold, Wladimir Klitschko told the BBC: 'I'm totally disappointed, it went a little too far, the sport of boxing shouldn't be like that. Bloody faces in the press conference... fighting in the ring, not out. I'm really surprised.'
A fight between the two domestic rivals had not been too far-fetched a possibility either after Chisora's brave showing against Vitali.
Few expected him to last beyond the opening round, especially after he angered the 40-year-old by slapping him and the pre-fight weigh-in and then spitting water into brother Wladimir's face in the ring.
But he was composed throughout the bout and, although he lost comfortably on points (118 - 110 twice and 119-111), he did his chances of becoming a world name no harm at all.
Spit storm: Chisora was caught on camera blasting Wladimir with water before the fight
Temperatures rising: Chisora continued to goad his opponent, even after the defeat
'I came here to fight and that's what I did and the only thing that beat me today was experience,' he said of his performance. 'An experienced fighter today won the fight . Did he hurt me? No.'
Chisora also felt he could have done better than he actually did, adding: 'I'm very disappointed with myself, I didn't really work my jab, which I wanted to do.
'I'm very disappointed with myself but you know what I gave a great fight and all the fans at home and all over the world know that I gave a great fight. I didn't come here to get paid I came here to win and the only thing that beat me tonight was experience.'
Haye, who was commentating for BoxNation, spent the evening calling out Vitali, who he hopes to fight this summer, despite technically being in retirement.
WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
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