Tyson Fury avoids punishment for controversial comments

Tyson Fury smiles after a WBC heavyweight title boxing match between Deontay Wilder and Artur Szpilka, of Poland, Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, in New York. Wilder stopped Szpilka in the ninth round. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

LONDON — Tyson Fury was reminded of the responsibilities that come with being world heavyweight champion when he met with British boxing officials this week to discuss remarks he made about homosexuals and abortion that caused a backlash in Britain.

The British Boxing Board of Control did not punish Fury, saying it had been advised that it cannot interfere with his basic human rights because Fury “didn’t break the law by exercising his right to freedom of expression.”

However, Fury was warned by the BBBC that he has “heavy responsibilities … to avoid making controversial, non-boxing comments” now that he is “holder of the most prestigious title in sport.”

“He has assured the stewards that he understands the responsibilities upon him,” the BBBC said in a statement, “and has expressed regret that he has caused offense to others, which was never his intention.”

In an interview with the Mail on Sunday newspaper, Fury, who is Catholic, said: “There are only three things that need to be accomplished before the devil comes home: one of them is homosexuality being legal in countries, one of them is abortion and the other one’s paedophilia. Who would have thought in the ’50s and ’60s that those first two would be legalized?”

Fury made those comments before beating Wladimir Klitschko in a heavyweight title fight on Nov. 28. He repeated them on radio after the fight, and also said a woman’s place was in the kitchen.

Fury was interviewed by the BBBC on Tuesday.

He will fight Klitschko again this year.