Boxing World Champ Stripped Of Title, Under Investigation For ‘Anti-Gay

Meanwhile, amid a police investigation into Fury’s comments by Greater Manchester Police, the Sports Journalists’ Association has also withdrawn its invitation to the boxer to attend the British Sports Awards in London next week.

Since becoming world heavyweight champion, the 27-year-old British boxer has been living up to his name, provoking fury well beyond the ring with his pronouncements on homosexuality, women, fellow athletes and a range of other topics.

Calls have come in the wake of comments Fury has made about homosexuality, paedophilia and abortion.

A GMP spokeswoman said that a member of the public had reported a “hate crime” on Tuesday after watching a BBC television program in which Fury’s remarks were discussed.

Fury, who defeated former-champ Wladimir Klitschko by unanimous decision in November, was stripped of his IBF title after declining to fight mandatory challenger Vyacheslav Glazkov before scheduling a rematch with Klitschko.

He also said: “She’s a very privileged woman to have a husband like me”.

“The circumstances in which these comments were made suggest that no criminal offence has taken place and this matter will not be investigated any further”, the Greater Manchester Police said.

The BBC has not removed Fury from its 12-person list, with the victor set to be announced on 20 December.

Fury, whose father was born in Galway, has represented both Ireland and England as an amateur and won the WBA, IBF and WBO world titles by beating Ukranian, Wladimir Klitchsko.

A petition to force the BBC to remove Fury from the final shortlist has already received more than 120,000 signatures, with Rutherford also among those questioning whether the boxer should be included.

“I am ashamed to work for the BBC when it lacks bravery to admit it is making a mistake”.

He added: “I can’t say more…”

And despite any of that, Fury says people shouldn’t try to make him out to be worse than he really is.

Fury, who is Catholic, said that among the things that need to happen “before the devil comes home…is homosexuality being legal in countries”.

However, Fury appeared to embark on a belated charm offensive on Wednesday, tweeting a picture of himself as a contender with the accompanying message: “I’m going to win this year!!!!!”