Circus nixes kangaroo boxing plans

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OXFORD, Tenn., Feb. 5 (UPI) -- A Tennessee police chief said a circus has canceled a previously announced boxing match involving a clown and a kangaroo.

Oxford Police Chief Joey East said police opened an investigation after hearing complaints about a planned kangaroo boxing event during a Star Family Circus performance scheduled for next week National Guard Armory in Oxford, WMCTV, Memphis, reported Tuesday.

"It was first brought to our attention by a concerned citizen," East said. "It was the first I'd heard about it. I was taken aback about the deal so I heard concerns that they were actually going to bring something up here and someone was going to be boxing a kangaroo."

The circus owner, who said the marsupial only boxes against a clown who does not actually hit the kangaroo, has agreed to call off the boxing portion of the event, East said.

"If there is any type of animal cruelty, we will be there to enforce the laws," East said of the performance.