Nike has axed Philippine boxer Manny Pacquiao over his tirade against same sex people in a broadcast earlier this week.
Pacquiao, a devout Christian and an up-and-coming politician, said gay people were worse than animals.
"It's just common sense. Have you seen any animal having male-to-male or female-to-female relations?" Pacquiao asked.
The boxer said animals were better as they recognise gender difference. "If you have male-to-male or female-to-female [relationships], then people are worse than animals," he said.
Nike, which Pacquiao endorses, said his comments were abhorrent. "Nike strongly opposes discrimination of any kind and has a long history of supporting and standing up for the rights of the LGBT community."
Pacquiao, a member of the Philippines House of Representatives, is running for the Senate.
He apologized after his comments caused a firestorm.
"I'm sorry for hurting people by comparing homosexuals to animals. Please forgive me for those I've hurt. I still stand on my belief that I'm against same-sex marriage because of what the Bible says, but I'm not condemning LGBT. I love you all with the love of the Lord. God bess you all and I'm praying for you," he said in a Facebook post.
