Chris Stephen Ware, owner of the Funky Pump gym.
THE owner of a Swansea gym has avoided jail after punching a man unconscious in an early hours brawl.
Businessman Chris Stephen Ware reportedly asked officers "how is the boy?" when they questioned him following the fracas outside the Ware-House in Northampton Lane.
Swansea Crown Court was shown CCTV footage of the fight at 5am on November 6 last year, which left the victim with a "large quantity of blood" coming from a wound on the back of his head.
Prosecutor Frank Phillips told the court the victim had tried to intervene when Ware had kicked a drunken woman out of a club night happening on the road.
Welsh Middleweight boxing champion Ware threw several punches, knocking Ben O'Conner to the floor where he hit his head. When police arrived soon after they found Ware had gone inside the property and locked the doors, which special officers had to open.
"He seemed to be expecting his arrest," Mr Phillips explained.
"He admitted punching the victim in a preemptive way. He said he felt threatened by him. He had put the event on at the club and described himself as being six out of 10 drunk."
Ware, who owns popular fitness club Funky Pump along with other businesses, pleaded guilty to knocking the man unconscious.
Defence lawyer John Hipkin asked for credit to be given for the 34-year-old's guilty plea.
Recorder Gregory Bull QC said: "It's a great shame to see a man like you standing in the dock.The references before me show you have done your best to build up a successful business and you're well respected by your friends, customers and in the community.
"I take all of that into account and I take that you were in some way provoked."
He imposed a six month sentence suspended for 12 months, ordered him to work with probation officers and told him to pay £3,230 in fees to the prosecution.
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