Boxing: Akinwande allowed to keep purse

Henry Akinwande has received his purse of $1m (pounds 600,000) from the recent World Boxing Council title fight in Lake Tahoe with Lennox Lewis which ended in his disqualification.

The Nevada State Boxing Commission had suspended the purse after Akinwande, 31, was thrown out by the referee, Mills Lane, for persistent handling in the fifth round.

Marc Ratner, the commission's executive director, said: "We decided not to fine Akinwande, because we believe he lost enough when he lost his chance at winning the world heavyweight title."

It was feared that Akinwande could have lost the purse and had his US licence suspended after similar tough punishments given to the heavyweights Mike Tyson and Oliver McCall.

However, the general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, John Morris, who was also WBC supervisor for the bout, believes some punishment should have been administered.

He said: "There should have been a penalty, not all of the money but some of it, and certainly not a ban. I have a personal view as the fight's supervisor, but I have no idea what the British board would do under similar circumstances. In my opinion Henry is lucky to get away with it."

Meanwhile, the former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, 47, secured a split-decision victory over Maurice Harris on Tuesday in his first fight at Madison Square Garden in 18 years.