TYSON FURY could have his boxing licence reinstated by the British Boxing Board of Control when its stewards meet in January.
UK Anti-Doping has cleared the 29-year-old heavyweight to return, after an absence of over two years, following his acceptance of a backdated two-year ban over a positive test for a banned steroid.
The former world heavyweight champion, who has denied any wrongdoing, has spoken of his desire to โreclaim the world titles which are rightfully mineโ but can only again box with the permission of the BBBC.
#Breaking Tyson Fury’s boxing licence suspension will be considered by British Boxing Board of Control stewards in January pic.twitter.com/54SN2dEoDp
โ PA Sport (@pasport) December 13, 2017
The BBBC announced on Wednesday: โTyson Furyโs boxing licence suspension will be considered by the stewards of the board in January.โ
In a statement they also added that Tysonโs cousin and fellow heavyweight Hughie โhas no outstanding matters with the BBBC at this timeโ, but general secretary Robert Smith revealed they are yet to hear from the Fury camp.
Before he makes any return, Fury will need to appear before the BBBC so that he can be assessed both physically and mentally.
UKAD and Mr Tyson Fury and Mr Hughie Fury issue joint statement: https://t.co/WJNG1VBb5p pic.twitter.com/L1Em4ciqPG
โ UK Anti-Doping (@ukantidoping) December 12, 2017
Smith hopes he can rediscover the condition and abilities that won him the IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles from Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015, but stressed it should not be overlooked that he had violated UKADโs rules.
โBefore the boxing licence suspension is lifted he would have to appear before the Board,โ he told Press Association Sport. โThereโs a number of matters: thereโs his mental health issues, heโs admitted he took cocaine.
โWeโve got to speak to Mr Fury and his management, which we havenโt done. If they contact us we can hopefully get it wrapped up in January; I presume weโll be hearing from them shortly. A discussion will take place in January whether we hear from him or not, but the sooner we do, the better for everybody.
Guess who’s back????? #returnofthemac pic.twitter.com/U67ejc6LGn
โ TYSON2FASTFURY (@Tyson_Fury) December 12, 2017
โWe (also) have to be satisfied about Tysonโs physical well-being, that he is fit to fight, and thatโs not just medically, thatโs physically as well. Itโs well reported heโs not in physical condition to return straight away, so heโs got a bit of work to do.โ
The fact that many people continue to consider Fury the lineal champion, given the loss of his titles came through circumstances outside of the ring, means his potential return has been widely encouraged.
Smith, however, stressed that after the Furysโ admission of guilt in the resolution with UKAD, it is important other fighters avoid repeating their mistakes.
โAs a sport we all need to learn something from this,โ he said. โItโs quite clear what UKAD had said: they deemed him to have violated their rules. They may deny that but they deem him to have done that, and they have admitted to the sentence.
โAll boxers need to consider any aspect with regards to doping very, very seriously. We hold seminars, three or four over the past four years, and theyโre very poorly attended by boxers. We are very, very serious about anti-doping, and so should they be.
โItโs good news heโs in a position to get back; itโd be great if he can get himself back to what he was.โ