British heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury has revealed he is subjected to racism due to his Traveller heritage.
The reigning WBC heavyweight champion, nicknamed "The Gypsy King", appeared on Good Morning Britain where he relayed his experiences, while commenting on the death of unarmed black man George Floyd, who was killed in Minneapolis after white police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.
The death has sparked protests around the globe, with some getting violent, as people around the world offer support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Fury spoke in depth about his own experiences, saying he was refused entry to a bar in 2016 that displayed a "no gypsies allowed" sign on the door, and it still carries on to this day.
The travelling community is a term used to describe people with a nomadic lifestyle, known usually as Gypsies and Travellers.
"I'm a white male, but I suffer racism in 2020, as a white person, because I'm a Traveller and I come from a ethnic background," Fury told hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid.
"Even today, you go into pubs, bars and restaurants and it may say on the door: 'We reserve the right not to let travellers in. No travellers allowed, gypsies or travellers.' It's not just black people who suffer racism.
"I think Travellers are the most acceptable form of racism, in Britain and in the world at the moment. It's still acceptable to be racist towards travellers - nothing ever gets done about it, no one ever says anything it, it's just accepted. That's it, it is what it is."
Fury then told the story about he and wife Paris being turned away from an English restaurant due to being a Traveller, not long after beating Wladimir Klitschko to become world heavyweight champion just months earlier.
"It's terrible because you can't judge everybody with the same brush.
"To have such things go on in my life, and everything that I've been through, to see that on boards or whatever...
"It said 'no gypsies allowed', I said 'what you talking about?' and they said 'no gypsies allowed.'
"I said 'I'm a world heavyweight champion boxer representing this country, I'm not just some gypsy', and she said 'yeah but you are a Traveller, no Travellers allowed.'
"I know what it feels like to be racist towards unacceptable behaviour at any time of the year and from anybody. And it ain't just whites, blacks or browns who can be racist – anyone can be a racist person, any colour, any background, it doesn't matter. It needs to change."
The Gypsy King also urged those taking part in Blackout Tuesday to take more long-lasting action, instead of doing it for just one day.
"It is a terrible thing which happened and it's unacceptable.
"The blackout stuff shouldn't be for one day, what about the other 365 days of the year? Any day of the week racism is unacceptable."
Chauvin has had his charges for the death of Floyd increased to second-degree murder, while the other three officers on duty have also been charged.
Fury is set to face Deontay Wilder in a trilogy bout when boxing returns to action.
