David Haye has backed Tyson Fury to return as an improved fighter when he recovers from the issues which are keeping him from the ring.
Fury on Wednesday vacated his WBA and WBO heavyweight titles, and on Thursday the British Boxing Board of Control suspended his boxer's licence pending further investigation into "anti-doping and medical issues".
He has been seeing a psychologist to treat the depression that by his own admission had led to him taking cocaine and contributed to his withdrawal from a lucrative rematch with Wladimir Klitschko.
The 28-year-old is also the subject of a UK Anti-Doping investigation amid reports that alleged he tested positive for the banned substance nandrolone, an anabolic steroid. He has denied that allegation.
Haye relaunched his career in January following a three-and-a-half-year absence that largely owed to injury, and he expects to challenge for one of the titles Fury has vacated within his next two fights.
Haye has faced and beaten several hurdles himself and believes his domestic rival can still thrive if he does the same.
Speaking on his 36th birthday, he told Press Association Sport: "I'd say to (Fury) 'Get away with your family, a change of scenery. Somewhere nice and beautiful, where nobody knows you, and switch off.
"'Don't take your phone, check Twitter: switch off and enjoy the moment, re-connect with why you've been putting your body through years of hardship'.
"Even if the worst happens, and he gets banned, he's still a young guy. This might not be the end, this might be the start, the catalyst that turns his career around. He can re-invent himself.
"His belts are gone now, (so) he needs to get away from any negativity, hang around with positive people, get his body in good shape - he looked really overweight - start watching his diet, eating healthy food, (and) stay away from alcohol: that's the worst one."
Fury's trainer and uncle Peter insisted earlier on Thursday his nephew is not addicted to drugs but is suffering with "manic depression".
Haye revealed depression was something he was also forced to overcome earlier in his career, and sympathises with Fury's plight.
"Sitting at home in a country that's clouded over, it's very difficult to come out of any mental downturn," he said. "It's not self-inflicted, it just happens. There's a statistic where I think one in five people will get depression.
"I had it in small quantities and there was nothing wrong with me. Physically I was in fantastic shape. I was undefeated, but found myself locked in my room for days at a time in the dark, not talking to anyone, turning my phone off.
"I don't know what caused it. For whatever reason I just laid in bed, under the covers, in the dark, shut the curtains, and stayed there for days.
"I talked to a friend - someone who knew what he was talking about - and he explained 'Something in your brain isn't firing like it should, it's a chemical imbalance, so whatever makes you feel good, (gets) that serotonin pumping: try and find it'.
"So I went straight to the airport, to Gran Canaria, and a couple of days later I was feeling like myself again. To this day, if I've not got much on, I'll go somewhere hot. That's helped maintain a level of happiness (since).
"It's just the beginning of (Fury's) story, not the end. Muhammad Ali, when he refused to go to Vietnam, had all of his belts taken off of him. He was 'A traitor, a coward, wasn't a real American'.
"They said it was over for him, and that was the start: his legend was born. I'm not comparing him to Ali. (But) I'm hoping he uses this to regenerate himself. (He can be) way better than he's ever been. He'll be back, right as rain, and stronger mentally for it."
Source: PA
