Frank Warren, promoter for WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, has fully rejected a sensational claim being made by a farmer - who makes a serious allegation that a member of Fury's team offered him £25,000 to provide false information in connection to Fury's failed drug test in 2015.
In early 2015, Fury and his cousin Hughie tested positive for the banned substance nandrolone. It was claimed in multiple reports that their test results were directly connected to either contaminated supplements or eating uncastrated wild boar.
After a legal battle with drug testing authority UKAD [UK-Anti Doping], Fury accepted a backdated two-year ban.
According to a report by Daily Mail, a farmer claims he was promised money to lie about sourcing wild boar for the Furys.
“I have never kept wild boar. I have never killed a wild boar,” the farmer, Martin Carefoot, told Daily Mail.
"I just went along with it, and they always dangled this carrot that I was going to get paid. When things got quite serious, they offered me a sum of money before it went to court in London, and a sum of money after. I went along with them because, I suppose, in my own way I was just helping them out."
According to Carefoot, he was never paid the money that he was allegedly promised.
He claims to have signed witness statements, with respect to supplying the wild boar meat, and they were submitted by Fury's lawyer to UKAD.
Warren was not Fury's promoter during this time period. At that time, the boxer's career was handled by promoter Mick Hennessy.
Warren is not buying the Farmer's story and says there are several holes in Carefoot's statements. There is no claim being made that either Fury had ever spoken with Carefoot. And Carefoot does not reveal the name of the Fury team member who approached him with the promise of money.
"Back then, I was not promoting Tyson. These allegations are totally unfounded and libellous. You are dealing with a man [Carefoot] who is an admitted liar," Warren told Daily Mail.
"Did Tyson ever have a conversation with this man? Which supposed member of Fury’s team did have a conversation with this man? You are relying on the word of a liar. Did he lie back then or is he lying now? This is a man who was willing to commit perjury."
The Daily Mail also reached out to UKAD, who issued a statement to the paper.
“We will always review any potential evidence in relation to any anti-doping offence, and take investigatory action where necessary. If anyone has information that could be of interest to UKAD and its investigations on any matter, we urge them to contact us.”