Tyson Fury: World heavyweight champion has boxing license suspended after alleged failed drugs test

Fury reportedly failed a drugs test in the United States last month before withdrawing from a rematch against Wladimir Klitschko

Tyson Fury, the former world heavyweight champion, has had his license to box by the British Boxing Board of Control suspended "pending further investigation into anti-doping and medical issues".

The 28-year-old Wythenshawe-born fighter reportedly failed a drugs test in the United States last month, testing positive for benzoylecgonine, a carboxylic acid found in cocaine.

Fury subsequently admitted to Rolling Stone magazine he had “done lots” of the recreational drug.

Fury announced on Wednesday night that he was relinquishing his WBA and WBO world heavyweight titles, which will expedite the confirmation of Wladimir Klitschko's and Anthony Joshua’s planned title fight.

A statement from the BBBoC read: “The British Boxing Board of Control confirms that Mr Fury’s boxer’s licence is suspended pending further investigation into anti-doping and medical issues.”

Fury, who won both titles in his defeat of Klitschko last November, has pulled out of rematches against the Ukrainian twice in recent months.

The pair were scheduled to face each other at the Manchester Arena on October 29, only for Fury to withdraw amid concerns for his mental health.

Klitschko is instead expected to face Joshua, the IBF title holder. Fury was stripped of the IBF belt last year after failing to face Vyacheslav Glazkov, the sanctioning body’s mandatory challenger.