Former world champion boxer Glenn McCrory stroked the arms of teenage girls while winking and making flirtatious comments before an Anthony Joshua title fight, a court has heard.
The former cruiserweight, 59, is accused of sexually assaulting three alleged victims at a dinner before the boxing match being staged at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in September 2021.
McCrory - invited to the event as the guest speaker - is accused of slurring his words, calling the girls ‘darling’ and ‘babe’, and leaving one alleged victim feeling “like an animal being petted”, Wood Greencrown court heard.
When quizzed by police, the ex-champion boxer - known in his heyday as the “Northern Warrior” - insisted his words and actions had been misunderstood and said people are friendlier in the north east than in London, the jury heard.
McCrory, who won the IBF cruiserweight world title in June 1989 and became a regular co-commentator on Sky Sports after his retirement, was a guest speaker at the dinner.
Attendees were going on to watch Anthony Joshua take on Ukranian Aleksandr Usyk in a world title bout at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
It is said McCrory pulled the first teenager towards him when she asked where he was sitting, before allegedly saying: “Whatever table you are at, darling”.
A second girl says McCrory “kept winking and calling flirtatious pet names including babe, sweet, and darling”.
“I felt so uncomfortable with his behaviour”, she said in her statement.
“He grabbed my left forearm and pulled me forward towards him.
“I was shocked and taken aback. I froze, and in my head I was panicking.”
She alleges McCrory stroked the length of her arm up to four times, and told police: “I felt like an animal being petted.”
And the girl said the ex-boxer put his hand around her waist as she turned to leave.
A third girl said McCrory was “slurring his words” before allegedly grabbing her lower arm and stroking her hand.
“It was weird to be touched like that”, she said.
When questioned by police, McCrory apologised if there had been a misunderstanding, the court heard.
Prosecutor Richard Paton-Philip told the jury the former boxer said: “In the northeast people are very different and a lot friendlier than in London”, suggesting his actions had been misconstrued as “overly friendly”
“I’m sorry if anyone has been upset”, he told officers, and denied being drunk at the event.
Mr Paton-Philip said McCrory is accused of sexual assault with his alleged touching.
“They didn’t invite him to touch them, and they didn’t consent to him touching them in any way at all”, he said.
County Durham-born McCrory, of Burnopfield, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, denies three charges of sexual assault.
The trial continues.
