TRIBUTES have been paid to Tyson Fury’s cousin after the 31-year-old was fatally stabbed outside a pub in the early hours of this morning.
Rico Burton died after the attack, with boxing legend Fury revealing the devastating tragedy in an Instagram post.
Rico, 31, was reportedly knifed in the neck outside a bar in Altrincham, Manchester just after 3am, with a 17-year-old seriously hurt in what cops called a “senseless attack.”
Two men, one aged 20 and the other 21, have since been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Tributes have now been paid to Rico who had trained with Fury as a young man, before becoming a roofer. In more recent years, he’d been selling cars, friends said.
Calling for an end to knife crime, two-time heavyweight world champ Fury said: “My cousin was murdered last night, stabbed in the neck.
“This is becoming ridiculous – idiots carry knives. This needs to stop.”
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The 34-year-old called on the Government to “bring back higher sentencing for knife crime”, adding: “It’s a pandemic.
“You don’t know how hard it is until it’s one of your own.
“Life is very precious and it can be taken away very quick. Enjoy every moment.
“RIP Rico Burton – may the lord God grant you a good place in heaven, see you soon.”
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Steve Egan, Rico and Fury’s former coach, said he was “devastated” to hear of the tragedy.
The 60-year-old, a coach at Jimmy Egan Boxing Academy in Manchester, said Rico had won two national titles fighting as a junior at the gym, and boxed at the gym until he was 19.
He left the gym to look for a career in roofing and building work.
Steve told The Sun: “I taught Rico, he’s a lovely lad. I’m devastated.
“I feel like crying. I’ve known him and his brother since he was 13. What a talent, he was fantastic.
“He was always a grafter, he worked hard and he worked so hard in the ring too.
Rico’s mum will be devastated – it’ll finish her off… He was close with Tyson, they were best of mates
Steve Egan
“He was a fantastic fella, I used to call him our Billy Joe Saunders because he was such a good fighter.”
He said there “wasn’t a bad bone” in Rico.
“I could never see him getting in trouble with anyone, or starting trouble, he wasn’t that type of lad,” he said.
“I’m absolutely devastated. It’s a coward’s game.
“If you carry a knife you should get five years for just having it in your pocket, it’s just daft.
“His mam is going to be devastated, it’s going to finish her off.
“He was always smiling, he knows his boxing is bang on. He loves his mum and his brother and his cousin.”
Superintendent Ben Ewart of Greater Manchester Police said that the two suspects remained in custody and that the families of both victims were receiving support.
Describing the crime he said “this was a senseless attack” and confirmed that it had claimed the life of Rico Burton.
He added that the younger victim was in a “serious but not life-threatening” condition is hospital.
He could not confirm whether any weapons had been recovered or if the victims were known to the attackers, but described the attack as seemingly “spontaneous and unplanned.”
He was also unable to confirm where exactly the attack occurred, but did say that it was at a venue in Goose Green and that the two men had been stabbed outside the pub.
TYSON’S GRIEF
Cops rushed to the scene of the slaying in Goose Green in the early hours of this morning after reports two men had been knifed.
Rico was taken to hospital but tragically died a short time later.
A 17-year-old man remains in hospital with serious injuries.
No further information has yet been given, although police have confirmed a murder probe has been launched.
Steve said today that Rico “had always admired” Fury.
“Tyson was a hero to him and he wanted to be like him,” he said.
“He was close with Tyson and they would spar together and were best of mates.”
‘HIS MUM WILL BE DEVASTATED’
Family friend Eddie Nevins said: “Funny guy and a decent boxer, one we looked up to as kids.”
Bar workers who saw the tragedy unfold have been left “shocked and shaken”, and Michael Edwards, who lives close by, told The Sun: “It’s really shocking when something like this happens.
“It’s terrible so many people carry knives these days.”
Rico’s death comes amid a wave of knife and gun violence across the UK, much of it focused in London.
Just last night, four men were stabbed in Brixton. Seven people have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Earlier this week, 44-year-old Lee Byer was charged with murdering Thomas O’Halloran. The 87-year-old was knifed in Greenford as he rode his mobility scooter.
Across the country, there was a 10 per cent spike in knife crime in England and Wales to March 2022 when compared with the previous year.
In that timeframe, police recorded 49,027 knife offences – the largest percentage increase since 2019.
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Knife crime has also surged by almost 50 per cent when compared to the year to March 2012.
Fury, who was born in Manchester, comes from a big family. He and his wife Paris, 31, have six children of their own. They live in Lancashire, although the boxer also owns a home in Vegas.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
