13th October, 2016
British boxing world champion Tyson Fury has vacated his three heavyweight titles to focus on his recovery from “a serious medical condition” his management said in a statement late on Wednesday.
The step comes after a long break from boxing which Fury took after taking Wladimir Klitschko’s IBF, WBA and WBO belts with a victory in Germany last November.
Since then he has admitted to taking drugs and suffering from manic depression in an interview.
“I’m unable to defend (my titles) at this time and I have taken the hard and emotional decision to now officially vacate my treasured World titles and wish the next-in-line contenders all the very best,” Fury said in the statement on the website of his management Hennessy Sports.
“I now enter another big challenge in my life which I know, like against Klitschko, I will conquer,’’ he added.
On Monday, the World Boxing Organisation issued a deadline telling Fury to demonstrate why his title “should not be vacated due to inactivity, breach of contract and performance-enhancing drugs and stimulants.’’