Troubled world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has
admitted taking cocaine, saying "I hope someone kills me
before I kill myself," in an interview with Rolling Stone
magazine published Tuesday. Fury's latest remarks came
after the 28-year-old made an abrupt U-turn on his
retirement decision on Monday, tweeting: "I'm here to stay."
The British fighter recently cancelled an October bout with
Wladimir Klitschko to defend his World Boxing Association
and World Boxing Organization heavyweight belts. Fury
had been scheduled to earn the biggest purse of his career
in a rematch with Klitschko at the Manchester Arena after
shocking the Ukrainian last November to become world
champion.
However, Fury withdrew from that date as his camp
claimed he had been "declared mentally unfit to fight". In
another tweet on Monday, Fury said he was "getting the
right help" and would "be back even stronger than before".
ESPN reported Fury tested positive after providing a urine
sample to the Las Vegas-based Voluntary Anti-Doping
Association (VADA) in Lancaster, England on September 22.
Cocaine, while an illegal drug, is not banned in boxing if
taken out of competition.
Fury's camp made no comment on the reports of cocaine
use but the boxer himself confirmed them in an interview
that Rolling Stone said was conducted on Monday, before
the champion's retirement U-turn.
"Listen, I've done a lot of things in my life. I've done lots of
cocaine. Lots of it," Fury told Rolling Stone. "Why shouldn't
I take cocaine? It's my life, isn't it? I can do what I want.
Yeah, I have done cocaine. Plenty of people have done
cocaine as well."
Fury, explaining why his re-match with Klitschko had been
called off for a second time, said: "I've not been in a gym
for months. I've not been training. I've been going through
depression. I just don't want to live any more, if you know
what I'm saying. I've had total enough of it. So cocaine is a
little minor thing compared to not wanting to live any
more."
He added: "I don't know if I'm going to see the year out, to
be honest...I just hope someone kills me before I kill
myself."
Fury, in comments that appeared to suggest he had failed a
drugs test, also said: "I never took other drugs, ever, in my
life. I only started to take cocaine in the last few months."
A member of the travelling community, Fury said he had
been a victim of prejudice. "It's been a witch-hunt ever
since I won that world title," Fury added. "Ever since I got
a bit of fame for doing good there's been a witch-hunt on
me because of my background, because of who I am and
what I do."
Fury, the self-styled 'Gypsy King', also won the IBF belt in
his fight against Klitschko, but had to forfeit it after failing
to fulfil a mandatory bout against Vyacheslav Glazkov.
A previously scheduled rematch with Klitschko, set for July
9, was scrapped after Fury sustained an ankle injury.
Following the cancellation of that fight, it emerged that UK
Anti-Doping (UKAD) had charged Fury and his cousin,
Hughie, with a doping offence. They deny wrongdoing.
The sample, taken nine months prior to Fury's sensational
victory over Klitschko, contained traces of the banned
substance nandrolone.
Fury was provisionally suspended, but his ban has since
been lifted and his legal team have threatened action
against UKAD. He is due to face a hearing in November and
could be stripped of his titles if found guilty.
Credit - BBC SPORTS
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