Heavyweight champion Fury sorry for video rant
FILE—Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko (L) and British heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury give a press conference in Cologne, western Germany, on April 28, 2016, where they talked about their re-match-fight for the title to take place on July 9, 2016 in Manchester, Great Britain. / AFP PHOTO / Roberto Pfeil
World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury insists he is “in no way a racist or bigot” after apologizing on Monday for comments he made in an hour-long video rant.
Fury caused controversy after making homophobic, sexist and anti-Semitic remarks in the interview last week, which led to widespread calls for him to be banned from boxing.
“I apologize to anyone who may have taken offense at any of my comments,” Fury said in a statement.
“I said some things, which may have hurt some people, which as a Christian man is not something I would ever want to do.
“Though it is not an excuse, sometimes the heightened media scrutiny has caused me to act out in public. I mean no harm or disrespect to anyone and I know more is expected of me as an ambassador of British boxing and I promise in future to hold myself up to the highest possible standard.
“Anyone who knows me personally knows that I am in no way a racist or bigot and I hope the public accept this apology.”
Fury has previously been accused of sexism and homophobia and also made controversial remarks about Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill.
In his latest outburst, he claimed “Zionist, Jewish people … own all the banks, all the papers, all the TV stations”.
He made personal attacks against Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko in the run-up to their rematch fight in July and voiced views on bestiality, pedophilia and women during the 57-minute clip.
