Police investigation launched against Tyson Fury

GREATER Manchester Police confirmed on December 8 that they have launched a hate-crime investigation against world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury following the boxer’s comments on homosexuality in a BBC interview.

The news comes as a wider campaign against Fury’s inclusion in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards gained momentum with upwards of 100,000 people signing a petition demanding his removal from the short-list.

Fury has dominated the headlines following his shock points victory over reigning champion Wladimir Klitschko on November 28 but for reasons more related to his controversial views than his historic success.

Promoter Kellie Maloney was the latest figure to come out against Fury, demanding that world boxing authorities sanction him over his statements on women and homosexuals. Former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis has also criticised the Manchester-based Gypsy fighter who is a born-again Christian with an outspoken personality. 

Fury landed himself in hot water after remarking that Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill “slaps up good” and appearing to compare homosexuality to paedophilia in a series of video interviews. 

Meanwhile the International Boxing Federation (IBF) has stripped Fury of his belt for not immediately facing mandatory challenger Vyacheslav Glazkov. Ukrainian Kilitschko has exercised his rematch clause meaning that Fury’s remaining WBO and WBA belts will be up for grab in a bout anticipated to take place in April or May 2016.