Doncaster bare knuckle boxer booted out of fight club after promoter bust-up

Phillip Anthony Hartley, who was last year named Spartan Bare Knuckle Fight Club fighter of the year after becoming European middleweight champion, tore into the club’s founder Christian Roberts in a series of expletive-filled video rants on Facebook after revealing he had been dropped.

Mr Hartley, a sticker seller who describes himself as the Love Campaigner, said: “The name I use has been dropped just because I dared say something and questioned things. It’s a tyranny.

"I’m a living thing that is legally born that uses the name Phillip Hartley for commerce. I live, breathe and fight for that club but I have been dropped because I won’t say I’m the name I use.

"They are a bunch of morons that use folk to fight and make money off.

"I’ve been dropped for no other reason than I’m not the first name Phillip and the surname Hartley. I’m not a corporate name. I don’t claim to be a corporate name.”

Mr Hartley, 41, who lives in Balby, had been due to fight at the club’s latest event next month, weeks after his most recent contest where he suffered facial and rib injuries in a brutal bout with Connor Carruthers.

Christian Roberts CEO of Spartan issued a public statement and said: “For the people inboxing me about Mr Hartley’s rants, I'm fully aware.

"Spartan Fight Club are no long affiliated with Mr Hartley. We try to help all our people but some we can't do nothing with.

"We have no ill feeling to Phil and don't want any fighters or fans to make things anymore stressful for him, he's clearly not well and well in drink.

“We hope no harm comes to Phil, but I'm not here to be disrespected by anybody. I take offence after all the help he's recieved.

"Again we wish Mr Hartley all the best for the future and hope he get the help he clearly needs, we won't comment any further on this matter.

"Also if you have bought a ticket off Mr Hartley, they are now null and void and you should contact him direct. Thanks for your understanding.”