Tyson Fury cleared to fight for Deontay Wilder’s WBC belt after enrolling on anti-doping programme

Undefeated Fury, 30, is currently in Big Bear, California as part of the training camp ahead of his 1 December showdown with big-punching Wilder at the Staples Center in Los Angeles

Tyson Fury has been cleared to fight for Deontay Wilder's WBC title after finally enrolling on their Clean Boxing Program.

Undefeated Fury, 30, is currently in Big Bear, California as part of the training camp ahead of his 1 December showdown with big-punching Wilder at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

However, the WBC threatened to withdraw their sanctioning of the fight, and therefore the belt, because Fury had still not enrolled in their anti-doping system.

The WBC insist that boxers must sign up to the so-called Clean Boxing Program, which they run alongside Vada (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association), within three months of breaking into the top 15 of their world rankings.

But at the start of this week Fury, who returned to the WBC top 15 in early July, had still not completed the relevant paperwork meaning the governing body's president Mauricio Sulaiman gave him a final seven days to get signed up.

Sulaiman, however, has now confirmed that Fury's paperwork is complete so their famous green and gold belt will be on the line in LA on 1 December. This is the first time Fury has ever enrolled on the Clean Boxing Program, which was launched in 2016 during Fury's boxing hiatus.

It means he has to inform Vada of his whereabouts every day and advise them electronically any time he goes over a mile away from that point.

Sulaiman said: "I can confirm Tyson Fury has now sent the Clean Boxing Program enrolment forms to VADA testing.

"Where you are located is the most important piece of information, where we can find you to perform a test, it is very simple.

Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder recently concluded a transatlantic promotional tour (Getty)

“You put down your information and every time you make a move you have to report it. So if you're going to the movies and it's more than one mile away, you report it. It's the optimum way of doing it. The administration is complicated but we are doing our best.

“If you are in the same place you don't have to communicate anything. Let's say I am based at the Intercontinental hotel in London then I'm here. But if I am going to go more than one mile away – let's say to the o2 Arena for an event – I must report it.

“You can report it via email or entering the information on a new app we have developed. He would have that app on his phone and he can enter where he is going.

“I would say on this programme we randomly test between 20 and 30 boxers every month so there's a fair chance Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder would be tested as part of that.”

Despite vehemently denying ever knowingly taking the substance, Fury in December accepted a back-dated two-year ban after elevated levels of the banned steroid nandrolone were detected during a February 2015 drugs test.

Now, as well as the Clean Boxing Programme, Fury is signed up to UK Anti-Doping's whereabouts testing programme having returned to the sport following nearly 1,000 days out of the ring in the aftermath of his November 2015 victory over Wladimir Klitschko.

That night he claimed the WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles meaning the WBC strap remains the only outstanding major belt on his resume.

“If he wins, I will be very proud to see him as the WBC champion,” said Sulaiman of Fury.

“We have a long story with Tyson Fury. We have been in communication with very years back to when he was promoted by Mick Hennessy. One time we suspended him because of foul language, then he properly apologised.

“Then he had the opportunity to fight for another title and he was successful. He has since had problems but he is now welcome, he is rated and he is ready to fight for the title.”