HEAVYWEIGHT world champion Tyson Fury has reportedly tested positive for cocaine, according to ESPN’s Dan Rafael.“Fury submitted to a random urine test on September 22 in Lancaster, England, and the results came back positive for the substance benzoylecgonine, the central compound found in cocaine and the marker for a positive test for the banned substance,”
The failed test will, adds Rafael, “likely result in Fury being stripped of the heavyweight world title belts he was to defend in a rematch with Ukraine’s Klitschko on October 29 at the Manchester Arena”.
The Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA), appointed to oversee drug-testing ahead of the Fury-Klitschko fight, wrote to the British Boxing Board of Control, the United States’ Association of Boxing Commissions and both the Fury and Klitschko camps to confirm the test result – ESPN has obtained a copy of the letter.
The Guardian added that while Fury could lose one or more of his belts before he steps into the ring next, he is unlikely to face a ban, as cocaine “is not prohibited when it is taken out of competition under World Anti-Doping Agency rules.”
Fury, who out-pointed Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015 to claim the WBA, IBF and WBO belts, pulled out of their October 29 re-match having been declared “medically unfit”.
“Tyson has this week been declared medically unfit to fight,” Fury’s promoters Hennessy Sports said in a brief statement at the time.
“Medical specialists have advised that the condition is too severe to allow him to participate in the rematch and that he will require treatment before going back into the ring.”
The withdrawal marked the second time Fury had pulled out of the re-match with the 40-year-old former champion after pulling out of their original re-match due to an injured ankle. (Eurosport)