Putting the punch back into advertising

You don't want to mess with Bernard "the Executioner" Hopkins, the world middleweight boxing champion, who is fond of informing opponents of his plan to "kick their asses".

But now he is at the centre of a different kind of confrontation, over a trend which shows how desperate sports sponsors have become to get their logos in front of the viewing public: using boxers' own skin as the ultimate advertising billboard.

In several recent fights the Executioner has worn a temporary tattoo on his back advertising GoldenPalace.com, an internet casino registered in Canada and Antigua, despite the best efforts of the Nevada state athletic commission, which regulates boxing in Nevada and exerts a broad influence across the US.

The commission argued that tattoo sponsorship demeans boxing. But in a landmark case several weeks ago a judge in Las Vegas found otherwise.

It was, he decided, the constitutional right of Clarence "Bones" Adams, another of Golden Palace's boxers, to wear whatever tattoos he pleased.

"It's a victory for free speech," said Eric Amgar of Golden Palace. "Now boxers can make money for themselves with their own bodies."

But the dispute has moved from the courtroom to the executive offices of America's television networks, which condemn what they argue is a backdoor technique which cheats them of revenue.

Marc Ratner, executive director of the Nevada commission, said: "The problem is now that you're getting the networks writing it into the contracts of boxers that they can't wear tattoos, because it upsets their other sponsors."

The Executioner, who has made $100,000 from the scheme so far, may be squaring up for a fight.