Tyson Fury tells BBC to remove him from Sports Personality of the Year shortlist

Fury says he is already the people's champion and doesn't need the award

Tyson Fury has released a video asking for him to be removed from the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year nominees list. On Tuesday it was revealed the boxer was one of six names up for the award. Now however he has said that he wants to be taken off the shortlist, and urges his fans not to vote for him.

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

...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. #SPOTY2020 #staysafe #staypositive ??✅ blessed by God.

— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) December 2, 2020

"This is a message for BBC Sport, and their SPOTY award," Fury says in the video posted to social media. "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 and what I've done in sport. The love of the people is worth more to me than all the awards in the world. So to all of my supporters, please don't vote on this." "Take me off the list. All my love, Tyson Fury, the Gypsy King." Tyson Fury was one of six sportspeople nominated for the award. The other names in the running are cricketer Stuart Broad, jockey Hollie Doyle, boxer Tyson Fury, Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, footballer Jordan Henderson and snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan. Fury recently told JOE he had stopped watching the news and using social media so much. https://twitter.com/JOE_co_uk/status/1332293095564652544?s=20 He said: "Social media is a fantastic machine to promote something, let people know what you're doing or keep in touch with family and friends. "It's not fantastic for staying on all day and reading every comment, negative or positive what people are saying, and taking it all to heart." Fury, who has indicated that he will make a return to the ring in 2021, said that social media was also promoting negative energy. "I think there's a lot of bullying online. So my best advice is post what you're gonna post, what you wanna show people, and then get off it. "It's pretend, it's make believe. Everything on social media, I think, is make believe. Everyone's living this fantastic, glamorous life on a white, sandy beach. That's not reality."