Sheffield-based boxing champ Billy Joe Saunders "reported to police" over "bullying" tweet row

The Sheffield-based WBO middleweight champion has apparently been reported to police for hate crime following the incident in which he tweeted a picture of city shop assistant Jonny Marsh saying he was "confused" and that: "I don't think its right for kids to see."

News organisaton Buzzfeed has reported this afternoon that Mr Marsh has reported Saunders over the photo.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police refused to confirm the story however and issued a short statement which read: "We can neither confirm nor deny the identity of any individual who may or may not be under investigation."

The boxer, who represented Great Britain in the 2008 Olympics before turning professional and winning the middleweight title, has over 91,000 followers but sparked fury when he tweeted a picture of Jonny working behind the till at Meadowhall's Urban Decay cosmetics and make-up store.

Dozens of Twitter users blasted him, describing the tweet as "bullying" and "homophobic."

But the 27-year-old fighter, based at the Ingle gym in Wincobank, remained unrepentant following the storm and tweeted: “People who can’t take banter should not be on social media" and added that he would “give people abuse if they keep righting [sic] to me over a pic I took."

The boxer, who comes from a traveller community, has also said he would place a "gipsy curse" on some of those critcising him.