It’s not often in life that you win by not winning, but Tyson Fury did just that when he finished outside the top three in the BBC’s Sports Personality Of The Year (SPOTY) award.
The 32-year-old ‘Gypsy King’ responded in unprecedented fashion recently when he was named on the shortlist of six for the prestigious title.
He released a video on Twitter asking the BBC to remove him from the shortlist, and telling his fans not to vote for him.
Fury on SPOTY: I am the people’s champion
He said: “This is a message for BBC Sport and their spoty award, please take me off your list as I’m the people’s champion and have no need for verification or any awards. I know who I am & what I’ve done in sport. I have the love of the people..which is worth more to me than all the awards in the world.
“To any1 who supports me don’t vote. All my love Gypsyking”
Hi this is Tyson fury the gypsy king, this is a message for the @bbcsport and there spoty award, please take me off your list as I’m the people’s champion and have no need for verification or any awards. I know who I am & what iv done in sport. I have the love of the people… pic.twitter.com/iwNYblTZG4
— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) December 2, 2020
Fury later threatened legal action against the BBC if they did not remove him from their list, but he was still there on Sunday night as the results were announced.
Along with snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan and cricket ace Stuart Broad, Fury was one of three stars to miss out on a top-three finish.
Lewis Hamilton claims top award
Jockey Hollie Doyle claimed third spot, Liverpool football captain Jordan Henderson took second and the glittering first-place prize went to Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton.
WBC, Ring magazine and lineal world heavyweight champion Fury was surprisingly left off the shortlist in 2018. That despite his amazing comeback story which culminated in that epic draw against Deontay Wilder in their first fight in Los Angeles.
Now 30-0-1, Fury is currently waiting for the opportunity to return to the ring in 2021. He last fought in February when he destroyed Wilder in their Las Vegas rematch.
All roads now appear to lead to a massive summer unification showdown with big rival Anthony Joshua. The pair have already agreed in principle the financial structure of a two-fight deal. Fury is a 1/2 favourite to defeat Joshua, with AJ currently around the 6/4 mark.
