BBBofC To Discuss Tyson Fury's Licence On October 12

By Elliot Foster

Tyson Fury is at risk of losing his boxing licence.

The British Boxing Board of Control will meet on October 12 to discuss the status of the licence of the current world heavyweight champion.

Fury, 28, holds the WBA Super, WBO and IBO belts and was previously scheduled to earn the biggest purse of his career in a rematch with Wladimir Klitschko on October 29.

But after withdrawing from that fight after being declared medically unfit, it later transpired that Fury had failed a VADA-conducted random urine test on September 22, the day before his withdrawal was confirmed.

And he could be set for much longer out of the ring, depending on the ruling of the Board when they meet next Wednesday.

In a dark interview with Rolling Stone, published on Tuesday, Fury confirmed reports he had tested positive for cocaine by discussing using “lots of” the drug. He also said he was uncertain if he will “see the year out.”

That interview, according to the publication, took place on Monday, October 3, which was the day in which Fury (25-0, 18 KOs) announced and then retracted his retirement from the sport in the space of three hours.

He is set to attend a hearing in November for an alleged doping violation after testing positive for the banned substance Nandrolone earlier on in the year, in the build-up to the first proposed rematch date of July 9.

In 2010 the BBBofC withdrew the inactive Ricky Hatton's boxer's licence amid allegations of cocaine use.

The former world champion has reportedly reached out to Fury and told him to contact him for help with ongoing issues if necessary.

“The Board meets next week and we'll discuss it, I'm fairly sure,” general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, Robert Smith, told Press Association Sport.

“The meeting won't be for Tyson Fury alone. We have a meeting on October 12. All of Mr Fury's recent issues will be discussed at that point, after which we'll see what we're going to do.

“He is licensed by us. The sanctioning bodies, the WBO, WBA - they are not governing bodies - they can strip him, declare the titles vacant, or he can vacate them.

“We deal with the licence, so in theory, if we were to suspend him they would have no choice but to strip him because he can't defend them, can he?

“There are a number of issues with Mr Fury that need to be considered, that have been well-publicised. We've had other issues this weekend that have been more important than Tyson Fury.

“Cocaine is against the law of the land. We can't ignore the law of the land. It's drug use and we will deal with it accordingly.

“Mr Hatton had his licence withdrawn and had a hearing. You can't just take a man's licence away, without taking the proper procedures, if we decide that's the right thing to do.”

Further details will emerge in due course.