British boxer Anthony Yarde asks public to stay at home after his father dies of coronavirus

Yarde says his father did not have any underlying health issues

Anthony Yarde’s father has died of coronavirus, the British light-heavyweight has revealed. PA

British boxer Anthony Yarde urged the public to stay at home. Action Images

Anthony Yarde was due to fight Lyndon Arthur for the Commonwealth light heavyweight title at the O2 Arena in London on April 11. Action Images

Anthony Yarde has lost to Russian Sergey Kovalev while fighting for the WBO light heavyweight title in August 2019. Action Images

Anthony Yarde and Lyndon Arthur go head to head after their press conference in London this month for the now postponed bout in April. Action Images

Promoter Frank Warren has expressed his condolences to Anthony Yarde's family. Action Images

Anthony Yarde in London on March 6. Action Images

British boxer Anthony Yarde has lost his father to the coronavirus. Action Images

British boxer Anthony Yarde asked the public to stay at home after revealing his father has died of the coronavirus.

Yarde, who fought Sergey Kovalev for the Russian's cruiserweight world title last year but lost, said his father was "fit with no health issues".

Britain is under a lockdown in a bid to stop the spread of the virus. There have been over 17,000 confirmed cases in Britain and Yarde, 28, urged people to take the pandemic very seriously.

"I'm a very private person and to be honest I'm still in shock but maybe this can help people stay at home," Yarde wrote on Instagram.

"My dad passed away from this virus yesterday and he was fit with no health issues. The more people go out and mingle the longer this isolation will last and the more it will spread.

"I'm not a doctor but I do know if you stay home you are less likely to catch it or pass it on. It's seriously not worth the risk."

A statement from Yarde's promoter Frank Warren said: "Frank Warren and everyone at Queensberry Promotions would like to express sincere condolences to Anthony Yarde and his family after the untimely passing of his father.

"Coronavirus is an issue affecting all of us, but that doesn't make the individual casualties any less tragic.

"We hope that his fans listen to Anthony's heartfelt plea for people to take the government's advice seriously so we can try and minimise the suffering of others."