BOXING is a business that forgives no one, both inside and outside the ring.

And with the coronavirus pandemic forcing the country to halt all social gatherings, the sport has been hit hard.

Boxing relies on promoters putting on shows, which those getting punched in the face can eventually profit from, if they reach a good enough level.

Thankfully, Silsden fighter Danny Whitaker does not have to rely on this cut-throat way of income to support his family.

The 'Big Dawg' is able to work from home, doing his full time job of selling mobility products.

Speaking about those who are not in such a fortunate position, Whitaker said: "I do feel for them. It must be hard work.

"It is scary, because if you are a full time boxer, you don’t know if you will get paid anything.

"It will be difficult for them, I am one of the lucky ones who has a full time job to fall back on."

The 29-year-old is a newcomer to the professional game, having only had five bouts so far in his career.

Despite this inexperience, Whitaker knows a thing or two about how the money is shared out at the basement level of the pro ranks.

"You only get paid for your fights," he said.

"On the small hall scene you don’t get much, it is all just ticket sales. You end up paying your opponent more than you get yourself. My last fight, I sold 140 tickets and my opponent got paid more.

"The bigger events are where you get a bigger wage, the likes of Ultimate Boxxer, which is the best pay I've had.

"So I have always had to have a full time job in place to pay the bills and support the boxing."

Whitaker took to the ring for the first time in 2020 just before the government suspended sport, outpointing stand-in opponent Chris Healey in Colne.

Although the heavyweight admits the change in opponent was a shock to the system, he was pleased by how he adapted and lavished great praise on his team.

Whitaker said: "It was two days before (that Dorian Darch pulled out). It was an absolute nightmare, the whole of the next 24 hours.

"We were thinking of flying a journeyman foreigner in but we couldn’t do that because of the coronavirus.

"Eventually we got Chris Healey, who was going to be a big ask. He was above me in the rankings and he is a southpaw, which I have never fought before.

"Luckily, I had been doing some work in the gym for him because I was eyeing him up for later in the year anyway. He stepped in to save the show and it was a good scrap.

"It would have been good to get Darch, who we trained for, but it was a good test and we got the win, that is the main thing.

"I have to thank my team for keeping me focused with positive thinking, all the supporters who got themselves out for the fight and promoter Frank Duffy for sorting the opponent."

So what next for one of Keighley's brightest sporting talents?

"It is annoying and frustrating (not being able to box), but it is not just me that it is happening to, other fighters are in the same position," said Whitaker

"I had a week off after my fight and now they have shut the gyms. We have got a group chat with my team, so I can keep in touch with my coaches and get out to do a bit of running and home workouts to keep myself in some sort of shape.

"I will try not to eat rubbish and get myself out running daily. We don’t know how long this is going to last.

"I have to keep mentally strong and in shape, to be ready for when things hopefully get better and we can start fighting again.

"I have to keep focusing on doing the best that I can this year, which is going to be put back for a few months, but the goal is the same."