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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
World
James Holt & Dan Haygarth

Tributes pour in after Tyson Fury's cousin stabbed to death outside bar

Tyson Fury's cousin was killed in an incident outside a bar in the early hours of Sunday (August 21).

Rico Burton, cousin of the two-time heavyweight world champion, was one of two men stabbed outside a bar in Altrincham, Greater Manchester shortly after 3am. Rico, 31, died in hospital shortly after while another male, 17, sustained serious injuries in the attack and remains in hospital.

Greater Manchester Police launched a murder investigation and a 21-year-old man, arrested on suspicion of Section 18 assault, remains in custody for questioning, reports the M.E.N. Police said two males had been arrested in connection with the murder.

READ MORE: Paramedics fought in vain to save young woman found shot in garden

Rico was said to have been a talented boxer in his youth and trained in Manchester throughout his teenage years. He has been remembered as a "nice lad", who "was hard working and had a great sense of humour".

Shaun Egan, who previously coached Rico alongside his brother Steve at Jimmy Egan's Boxing Academy in Manchester, spoke to the M.E.N after the 31-year-old's passing. He said: "He was an absolute talent. He was such a nice lad, he was hard working and had a great sense of humour.

Police at the scene on Goose Green Altringham, Greater Manchester (Vincent Cole - Manchester Evening News)

"What's happened is just awful. He was just a great guy. To hear he has died like this is devastating."

Rico trained and boxed at the gym until his late teens, during which time he won two national titles fighting as a junior. Shaun added: "Out of the people we had coming through our doors, he was probably one of the best we have ever seen.

"As a young adult he used to come to our gym and was so talented with so much potential. I have watched him win a national title after going through a windscreen in the same week. He was always smiling and a real positive force.

"What people don't realise when they stab someone is what that does to families and how it can ruin them."

Also paying tribute, Shaun's brother Steve wrote on Facebook: "Rico Burton. Fantastic Boxer, very skilled, lovely lad and always smiling. RIP." Heavyweight champion Tyson took to Instagram on Sunday morning to confirm the death of his cousin. He added that he had been stabbed alongside a picture that read "Stop Knife Crime".

Tyson wrote that his cousin had been "stabbed in the neck" in an incident, before adding: "This is becoming ridiculous - idiots carry knives. This needs to stop. Asap, UK Government needs to bring higher sentencing for knife crime, it's a pandemic and you don't know how bad it is until it's one of your own!"

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