Thursday 13 October 2016 13:39, UK
Tyson Fury's boxing licence has been suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control pending further investigation into anti-doping and medical issues.
Fury had earlier voluntarily vacated his WBO and WBA world heavyweight titles with immediate effect to fully focus on his medical treatment and recovery.
The BBBoC announced its decision on Thursday morning after officials discussed Fury's case on Wednesday following a reported failed drugs test in the United States and his admission in Rolling Stone magazine that he has "done lots of cocaine" in a bid to battle depression.
A statement read: "The British Boxing Board of Control confirms that Mr. Fury's boxer's licence is suspended pending further investigation into anti-doping and medical issues."
Fury was crowned world champion after he beat Wladimir Klitschko in Dusseldorf last November, but he pulled out of a scheduled rematch against the Ukrainian later this month with his team insisting he was medically unfit to fight due to mental health concerns.
The 28-year-old would have been stripped of his belts after losing his licence but he beat the BBBoC to the punch by vacating them voluntarily late on Wednesday evening.
"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," he 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 and I have taken the hard and emotional decision to now officially vacate my treasured world titles and wish the next in-line contenders all the very best as I now enter another big challenge in my life which I know, like against Klitschko, I will conquer."
