London: Former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury’s licence to box has been suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC), the national governing body announced on Thursday. The decision came after the troubled British boxer, who has admitted taking cocaine to deal with depression, vacated his World Boxing Organisation and World Boxing Association titles with “immediate effect” to concentrate on his “medical treatment and recovery” late on Wednesday.
The BBBofC said Fury’s licence to box had been suspended pending further investigation into “anti-doping and medical issues”. Fury, 28, was set to be stripped of his titles after cancelling two planned rematches this year against former champion Wladimir Klitschko, having upset the odds to beat the Ukrainian in November last year. That was Fury’s last fight, with the boxer also taking Klitschko’s International Boxing Federation title. However, he had to previously vacate that belt after failing to fulfil a mandatory defence against Vyacheslav Glazkov.
“I feel that it is only fair and right and for the good of boxing to keep the titles active and allow the other contenders to fight for the vacant belts that I proudly won and held as the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world when I defeated the long-standing champion Wladimir Klitschko,” Fury said. “I won the titles in the ring and I believe that they should be lost in the ring, but I’m unable to defend at this time,” he added. Mick Hennessy, Fury’s promoter, said the decision was “heartbreaking”.
