British board asks Tyson Fury to explain comments

London: Tyson Fury has been asked to attend a British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) hearing to explain his controversial recent media comments, the organisation announced on Thursday.

Fury, 27, has been accused of homophobia and sexism since dethroning longstanding world heavyweight champion Vladimir Klitschko in Duesseldorf at the end of last month.

It has provoked a storm of criticism and after meeting on Wednesday to discuss the matter, the BBBC has summoned Fury to appear before it in the new year.

"Mr Fury has been called for an interview in the new year," BBBC general secretary Robert Smith told Britain`s Press Association. No date has yet been set for the meeting.

Over 130,000 people have signed a petition calling for Fury to be removed from the shortlist for the BBC`s prestigious Sports Personality of the Year award.

He is also being investigated by Greater Manchester Police after a member of the public reported him for committing a "hate crime".

In a BBC radio interview this week, Fury said: "Homosexuality, abortion and paedophilia -- them three things need to be accomplished before the world finishes. That`s what the Bible tells me."

Fury has also been accused of sexism after stating that a woman`s place was "in the kitchen and on her back".

But in an interview with Sky Sports News broadcast on Thursday, Fury denied that he was sexist or homophobic.

"I`m not a homophobe, I`m not a sexist, I`m not any of those," he said. "I`m not a bigot, I`m not a racist, I am a gypsy. I`ve (had people) being racist towards me for the past 27 years.

"You don`t hear me complaining about it, do you? I don`t write any newspaper articles about it.

"If the police are going to waste the taxpayers` money in investigating Tyson Fury for being hated then that`s just a joke. It`s a waste of taxpayers` money."

Fury won the WBA, IBF and WBO belts against Klitschko, but has been stripped of the IBF belt for granting Klitschko a rematch instead of facing mandatory International Boxing Federation challenger Vyacheslav Glazkov.