Hide, 54, appeared at Norwich Magistrates’ Court charged with assault following an incident at his home on Long Lane in Bawburgh, on the outskirts of Norwich.
The court was told officers not in uniform and in an unmarked car had gained entry to the sprawling gated-property on July 3 last year.
Gated entrance to Bawburgh home where Herbie Hide has lived since 2003 (inset) (Image: Newsquest/Google)
It is alleged when one of the officers, who had not identified themselves as police, had been punched to the face after getting back into the car, said prosecutors.
Hide, who held the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) version of the heavyweight title between 1997 and 1999, answered “definitely not guilty” when asked to enter a plea to a single charge of assault of a constable in the execution of his duty.
Addressing magistrates, he said: “A man who I didn’t know came into my house speaking to my children.”
Herbie Hide, nicknamed The Dancing Destroyer, won the WBO heavyweight championship in 1994 and 1997 (Image: Action Images)
Ian Fisher, representing the ex-boxer, said: “Put yourselves in the shoes of any householder who might be somewhat unnerved by the presence of men who refused to say who they were or what they wanted.”
Hide was released on unconditional bail until he stands trial at Norwich Magistrates’ Court later this year on December 9.
Magistrates apologised that the case could not be listed sooner due to court backlogs.
Born Herbert Okechukwu Maduagwu in Nigeria in 1971, Hide moved to Norfolk with his family when he was a child and grew up in the county.
Hide became world champion for the first time in 1994, defeating Michael Bentt (Image: PA)
Nicknamed the Dancing Destroyer, he won his first WBO heavyweight title against Michael Bentt in 1994 and later regained the title against Tony Tucker in 1997.
Returning to the ring in 1998, Hide beat US challenger Damon Reed in less than a minute – described at the time as the fastest-ever heavyweight victory.