The woes continues for multi-decorated heavyweight champion Tyson Fury of Britain.
Originally scheduled to participate in a rematch against former champion Wladimir Klitschko in July, the bout was postponed in June after Fury suffered a sprained ankle during training pushing the fight to October 29th. This week, Team Fury announced the bout was once against postponed for “unspecified reasons” and Fury was deemed “medically unfit” to fight. On Friday, Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) President Dr. Margaret Goodman revealed that Fury tested positive for cocaine.
According to ESPN.com, results from a urine sample Fury submitted on September 22 returned with a positive reading for the substance benzoylecgonine, the central compound found in cocaine. Once the results were confirmed on Thursday night, VADA President Dr. Margaret Goodman sent the following statement to representatives for Fury, Klitschko, the British Boxing Board of Control and the United States’ Association of Boxing Commissions:
“This letter is to advise you that the ‘A’ sample urine specimen number 4006253 collected from Tyson Fury on September 22, 2016 in Lancaster, England through his participation in the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) program has been analyzed for anabolic agents, diuretics, beta-2 agonists, stimulants and drugs of abuse. The results of the analysis are as follows: Adverse. Urine specimen contains benzoylecgonine.”
Now, with no fight on the horizon between Klitschko and Fury, the potential becomes greater for another mega-fight. A showdown between Klitschko and IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua of Britain.
Despite having 17 professional fights under his belt, Joshua has mentioned in past interviews that he is open to fighting Klitschko when “the time is right.” In recent weeks Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn announced plans for a title defense in November with mandatory challenger Joseph Parker named as the frontrunner to land the bout. With Fury out of the mix and the possibility of Parker ‘stepping aside,’ the time could be right for Klitschko.
Is Joshua ready for Klitschko? Only the ring can answer that question but with both boasting an enormous following, the real winners are the fans if it happens.
