By Elliot Foster
Tyson Fury is set to relinquish the second of his four titles.
The Wythenshawe heavyweight, who claimed the WBA Super, WBO, IBO and IBF belts last November when he outpointed Ukrainian former kingpin Wladimir Klitschko in Germany, will vacate his WBO crown before he is stripped.
Fury (25-0, 18 KOs) is currently troubled by mental health issues and cocaine use, having failed two random VADA-conducted urine samples last month, and looks to be out of ring action for the foreseeable future.
The WBO threatened to strip Fury if he didn’t provide cause as to why he should keep the belt, but Boxing Scene understands ‘Gypsy King’ has relinquished the belt after agreeing a deal to challenge for the title as soon as he is cleared to box again.
He was set to defend his world titles, minus the IBF one which is now held by his fellow Brit Anthony Joshua –– after he was stripped within days of winning it last year –– against Klitschko in a contractually obliged rematch at Manchester Arena on October 29, exclusively live on BoxNation Box Office.
But the 28-year-old withdrew from the fight after being declared “medically unfit” to fight on September 23.
It was later disclosed that Fury failed two drugs tests, both for benzoylecgonine, on the two days leading up to the pull-out of the rematch, which was originally set to take place on July 9 before the Englishman was forced out with an ankle injury.
With Fury no longer having the WBO and IBF belts, it means of the four titles he won when he beat Wladimir Klitschko last November, he now holds only the WBA ‘super’ title and the lightly-regarded IBO belt.
It is expected that he will box for the WBO belt upon his return.
The World Boxing Organisation, which is based in Puerto Rico, is expected to confirm the news later today.