By Elliot Foster

Liam Wilkins and Hasan Karkardi are to appeal against the punishments handed down by the British Boxing Board of Control.

The pair were sanctioned in relation to the sparring session that left former British middleweight champion Nick Blackwell in hospital.

Trainer Wilkins, who was handed the permit only last February, had his licence withdrawn, while light-heavyweight Karkardi (7-1, 1 KO) was given a six-month suspension.

Blackwell was forced to stop fighting after suffering a bleed on the skull in March after collapsing in the aftermath of his defeat to Chris Eubank Jr. at the SSE Arena in Wembley, London.

He then fully recovered from his injuries before getting in the ring again for a four-round session with Karkardi, during which he fell ill and was rushed to hospital. During his second spell in hospital, 26-year-old Blackwell was put into an induced coma –– from which he woke just before Christmas –– and had part of his skull removed to relieve pressure on the brain.

"We will be challenging both the Board's procedure and their findings as to the facts, which were made in the face of a [sic] substantial documentary and witness evidence to the contrary,” a joint statement by Wilkins and Karkardi read.

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

The decision of the British Boxing Board of Control, to ban the pair, was announced on January 13, but the penalties were made effective as of January 11.