Pictured: Tyson Fury's cousin, 31, stabbed to death at pub as boxer calls for knife crime to stop

21 August 2022, 11:45 | Updated: 21 August 2022, 18:04

Boxer Tyson fury has told of his devastation after his cousin Rico Burton was stabbed to death.

Fury shared the news in an Instagram post this morning.

He said: “My cousin was murdered last night, stabbed in the neck.

“This is becoming ridiculous - idiots carry knives. This needs to stop.”

The name of the victim was later confirmed in a Greater Manchester Police press conference, with Superintendent Ben Ewart saying the "senseless" attack took place while Mr Burton was enjoying an evening out with friends.

He praised people who had given first aid at the scene and confirmed Mr Burton had died in hospital and a 17-year-old boy remains in a "serious but not life-threatening condition".

"Both victims should have returned home this morning after enjoying a night out with friends," Mr Ewart said.

"Everything suggests at this stage that [Mr Burton] was enjoying an evening out with friends, and this has taken place spontaneously and unplanned - it's a very tragic ending to what should have been a good night out with friends."

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A post shared by Tyson Fury (@tysonfury)

Calling for tougher sentencing for knife criminals, Tyson Fury said in a social media post: "It’s a pandemic. You don’t know how are 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 grant you a good place in heaven, see you soon.”

He finished the post with the hashtag: "Only cowards carry weapons."

He added on Twitter: "My cousin was murdered last night. Stabbed in the neck, this is becoming ridiculous idiots carry knives. THIS NEEDS TO STOP"

Mr Burton died in a fight outside a bar in Altrincham, the Manchester Evening News reports.

Police said the incident took place just after 3am this morning in Goose Green, Altrincham. 

Two men were rushed to hospital with serious and life-changing injuries, Greater Manchester Police originally said.

Mr Ewart later explained: "At around 3am this morning on Sunday August 21, emergency services received multiple calls about a disturbance in Goose Green in Altrincham.

"On arrival, we found a 17-year-old male and a 31-year-old man with stab wounds receiving first aid from members of the public before officers and paramedics took over.

"Both males were taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary, where sadly the 31-year-old man succumbed to his injuries and died. I can confirm that male is Rico Burton."

He added: "Greater Manchester Police has launched a murder investigation and specialist officers are supporting both families.

"A 21-year-old man was arrested at the scene, and a short while later, a 20-year-old male was further arrested in connection with this incident, and both remain in custody.

"This is without doubt a senseless attack and both victims should have returned home this morning after enjoying a night out with friends.

"Goose Green is a popular nightspot and would have been busy at the time and I appeal for anyone who was there overnight on Saturday August 20 or anyone with information about this incident including phone photograph footage or videos to come forward, in particular any friends of any of the victims or suspects who may have been out with them that night who has not yet come forward."

Anyone with information, CCTV, photos, or videos regarding this incident should contact police on 101 quoting incident 475 of 21/08/2022 or on 0161 856 7386

The death comes amid a recent spate of violent crime in recent days with multiple murder investigations launched in London.

Recent violent attacks in London:

• Thomas O'Halloran, 87, stabbed to death in Greenford. A man was arrested on suspicion of murder.
• A triple shooting in Brent on Monday left a 17-year-old boy, a 21-year-old man and a man in his 20s injured, two seriously. There have not been any arrests yet.
• A stabbing in a restaurant near Oxford Street on Monday left a man dead. Police arrested a man at the scene and charged him with murder.
• A stabbing in Ealing on Monday saw 58-year-old Aziza Bennis killed. Hanna Bennis, 21, was arrested and charged with murder.
• A man died in Lewisham on Sunday. Sonny Booty, 36, was found dead in a residential property. A 53-year-old man was charged with murder.
• A 60-year-old man died in Dagenham on Sunday. A 23-year-old man has been charged with murder.
• A shooting in Walthamstow left a 25-year-old man dead on Saturday. No arrests have been made.
• A stabbing in east London left a man injured. He was found with stab injuries and shots were also fired in Bohemia Place. More shots were fired nearby around an hour later, but no one else was injured. No arrests have been made.

Last night, four men were stabbed in Brixton. Seven people have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk has said he wants to fight Fury next after beating Anthony Joshua in a fight in Saudi Arabia last night.