Tyson Fury timeline as former heavyweight world champion drops retirement hint

26 July 2017 09:23

Tyson Fury appeared to announce his retirement from boxing on Wednesday.

The former world heavyweight champion has not fought since beating Wladimir Klitschko so memorably in Dusseldorf.

Here is a timeline of selected key events in the 28-year-old fighter's career since that night in Germany.

2015: November 28 - Secures one of the finest wins of any British fighter when he unexpectedly outpoints defending WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko in Dusseldorf to claim world title glory. It was K litschko's first defeat in 11 years.

December - Fury is stripped of his IBF title, less than two weeks after winning it, for agreeing to face Klitschko in a rematch in July 2016 instead of mandatory challenger Vyacheslav Glazkov.

2016: June - Postpones rematch with Klitschko after spraining his ankle in training. Shortly afterwards, it is reported he failed a drugs test for the banned substance nandrolone. He denies any allegations of doping and insists he is ''baffled'' by the reports.

September - Fury again withdraws from his rematch with Klitschko, which had been re scheduled for October. A statement from his manager said he had been declared ''medically unfit to fight'', while those around him reveal he is suffering with depression. New reports soon emerge that Fury has tested positive for cocaine.

October - Fury takes to Twitter to announce his retirement, before backtracking three hours later. He also gives an interview to Rolling Stone in which he a ppears to confirm reports he had tested positive for cocaine by saying he had ''done lots'' of the drug. He says: "I don't know if I'm going to see the year out."

October - Fury vacates his WBO and WBA heavyweight titles the night before the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) suspends his licence pending investigation into "anti-doping and medical issues".

2017: March - Suggests a return to the ring is set for May despite being without a boxing licence. Several days later on Twitter he describes his battle with depression as "the hardest fight of my life".

April - Becomes embroiled in a war of words with Anthony Joshua ahead of the Londoner's world title showdown with Klitschko at Wembley, and c laims he will return to boxing in July. Immediately calls out Joshua after the 2012 Olympic champion knocks out Klitschko, saying he would win a fight against Joshua with "one arm tied behind my back".

May - Fury's anti-doping hearing is postponed. He continues to strongly deny any wrongdoing. The BBBofC says Fury's suspension will not be lifted until his doping case is resolved.

July 26 - Appears to announce his retirement from boxing, hinting on Instagram that an "epic journey" has reached "the end". A source close to the fighter says Fury is "fine" and expected to fight on.

Source: PA