TYSON FURY is still on course to return to the ring this year and “clean up the heavyweight division,” despite having his plans delayed by a strung-out UK Anti-Doping hearing.
The 28-year-old had his boxing licence suspended last October, a day after he vacated his WBA and WBO heavyweight titles citing depression.
Fury and his cousin Hughie have been on the agency’s radar since traces of banned substance nandrolone were detected in their urine samples in February 2015.
Both men have strongly denied any wrongdoing and they were not charged with an anti-doping offence until June 24 2016.
Fury’s hearing has been halted due to a potential conflict of interest on the National Anti-Doping Panel with no date scheduled for its resumption.
“We can’t say much at the moment, it’s ongoing. The legal team, we’ve got one of the best legal teams in the world, and they’re dealing with it,” Peter Fury, Tyson’s uncle and trainer, told Boxing News.
“Tyson is definitely coming back, he’s got the bit between the teeth and his exact words were: ‘I need to come back, clean up the heavyweight division and get rid of bum city.’
“He’s been looking on the sidelines at what’s going on and he can’t wait to get back.”
The 28-year-old had returned to training prior to his anti-doping hearing, having not fought since his stunning November 2015 win over Wladimir Klitschko.
He hopes to be back in the ring before the end of the year, and there was even talk of him boxing in London on July 8, but the delayed hearing has scuppered those plans.
For now, he is taking a break with his family before teaming up with Peter to boil himself back down to his fighting weight.
Peter said: “He’s on holiday at the moment with his family and once he’s back it’ll be good to sit down with him, get him back into a proper routine and get him back into fighting shape. I’m very hopeful we’ll get him a fight before the end of the year.”
