Eddie Hearn was "appalled" by "idiotic" video footage that appeared to show Billy Joe Saunders offering advice to men on how to hit women during the coronavirus lockdown.

In the footage, the WBO world super-middleweight champion demonstrates boxing techniques on a punching bag and can be seen explaining what to do if "your old woman is giving you mouth" and how to "hit her on the chin".

Saunders later issued an apology on Twitter and insisted he does not condone domestic violence after receiving a backlash online.

Hearn, Saunders' promoter, labelled the video as "unacceptable".

"I haven't spoken to him. I spoke to his management team last night. I was appalled really," Hearn told talkSPORT.

"It was so idiotic, it was so frustrating because I know Billy well. He's a really good kid, with a really good heart. 

"He does a lot for the community, he does a lot for charity, but every now and again he does the most stupid things. 

"The world has changed and realised about all kinds of different things, about how you need to treat people.

"It's always with Billy. He spent the weekend down at the NHS, delivering food packages, and meeting people. It's one step forward, four steps back with Billy Joe Saunders and it is frustrating.

"He's got this mentality where it's me against the world. Sometimes you can have a conversation with him and say, 'Bill, what are you doing?' And sometimes that can make it worse. I leave him alone now and when I talk to him, I will be telling him, 'You're a prat, what are you doing?'.

"I can only tell you he does have a good heart, he didn't mean anything in the video, but you just can't do it, especially when you're in his position. It's unacceptable for Joe Bloggs down the street to do it. It's much more unacceptable for a world champion boxer to be doing it.

"Thinking you're having a laugh, or not having a laugh, young people are watching that video. People who are in abusive relationships are watching that video. You cannot do it, it's unacceptable."

Saunders has won all of his 29 professional fights and Hearn said last month the 30-year-old was awaiting a decision as to whether he or fellow Briton Callum Smith would fight Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez next, although a third bout between the Mexican great and his rival Gennadiy Golovkin has since reportedly moved closer to being finalised.