Petition against Tyson Fury’s SPOTY nomination surpasses 80k signatures

He said: “You will have seen that Tyson Fury won the world heavyweight boxing title last weekend and he has now been nominated for the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year”.

Following his unexpected defeat of Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko in Germany last month, Fury became one of the bookies’ favourites to win the SPOTY award, but his subsequent remarks and Twitter posts have led to his 4/1 price drifting to 20/1 with William Hill.

Fury has been stripped of his IBF title less than two weeks after winning it in the fight with Klitschko.

Boxer Tyson Fury, who has been at the centre of media storm over his repeated homophobia and sexism has been stripped of his heavyweight title by the International Boxing Federation (IBF). Instead, Fury will have a rematch against Klitschko.

The first wave of outrage directed at Fury came in the buildup to the Klitschko fight, when he compared homosexuality and abortion to paedophilia and then attempted to play down his comments by saying they come straight from “the holy scriptures”. What I believe is a woman’s best place is in the kitchen and on her back.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said that the force had received a report of hate crime following comments made about homosexuality on the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme.

It cited an interview with the Mail on Sunday newspaper in which Fury, a born-again Christian, said three things needed to happen “before the devil comes home”.

Pressure has been mounting on the BBC after more than 100,000 people signed a petition set up by the LGBT campaigner Scott Cuthbertson which calls for Fury to be removed from the shortlist.

“Andy is in a hard position because he feels like he may be faced with choosing between his career and his personal beliefs”, he added. That’s what I say about them. American Deontay Wilder is the WBC’s champion. He had this to say: ‘I believe if a man should go to work all his life, a woman can go to work as well.

Mr Bryant raised the issue in Parliament on Thursday, stating: “I gather Mr Fury has subsequently said that some of his best friends are gay, ” adding.

An online petition has been signed by thousands of United Kingdom residents in a bid to remove Fury from the list of an accolade the 27 year-old didn’t ask for or want to win.

A BBC spokesperson told GT: “The nominees for BBC Sports Personality of the Year are decided on their sporting achievements”.

The BBC said Fury’s inclusion on the shortlist did not mean SPOTY endorsed his personal views.

Fury has also said he was “not bothered” about being a role model to kids.