Corey Boyce could be suspended by the Bermuda Boxing Federation for instigating a bare-fisted brawl with rival Reyel Bowen during a training session.

The BBF is investigating the incident and may ban Boyce for his part in the altercation that took place at Controversy Gym in Hamilton this month.

It is understood that Leo Richardson, the head coach at Controversy Gym, acted swiftly to defuse the situation and break up the fight.

The pair of amateur heavyweights have long been linked for a potential showdown, with Bowen recently blocking Boyce from his Facebook page after a war of words on social media.

Boyce, of the Bermuda Amateur Muay Thai Association, first called out Bowen in June during an interview with The Royal Gazette.

“A lot of people want me to fight Reyel, so we’re going to have to get together at some point,” he said. “I think that will be a real slugfest!”

Boyce, a defender for Premier Division side Robin Hood, has become something of a crowd favourite after a string of victories in both boxing and Muay Thai.

In his previous bout, he stepped in at the eleventh hour to face Keanu Wilson, of the Bermuda Sanshou Association — a stablemate of Bowen’s — in an exhibition match at Fight Night on the Beach at Snorkel Park last month.

Boyce, who has represented Bermuda in rugby sevens, won the men’s B division light-cruiserweight title at the Muay Thai Classic in Des Moines, Iowa, in July and has also recorded wins against local boxers Trace Easton and Shannon Ford.

Bowen is also well known to local boxing enthusiasts and has returned to full training after recovering from a shoulder injury.

Known as the “Red Dragon”, Bowen is well versed in Muay Thai and represented Bermuda at the World Wushu Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia, in November last year.

He also won a gold medal at the Pan American Sanda World Cup in Monterrey, Mexico, in 2014, and bronze at last year’s competition.

He has also chalked up victories against local pugilists Deandre Morris and Justin Tucker.