Tyson Fury has been given the green light to return to boxing after accepting a backdated two-year ban for doping.
The former world heavyweight champion has been out of the ring since he dethroned Wladimir Klitschko back in November 2015.
Seven months after that famous victory he was charged with using a banned substance. But the 29-year-old said the positive test was a result of uncastrated wild boar he had eaten.
Former heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury is free to resume his boxing career
The 29-year-old has been out of the ring since beating Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015
Fury responded to the news by immediately calling out WBA and IBF heavyweight king Anthony Joshua. He wrote on Twitter: ‘@anthonyfjoshua where you at boy? I’m coming for you punk ent (sic) no1 blocking my path now!’
The self-styled Gypsy King also vowed to ‘put the nightmare of the last two years behind me’ and return to boxing in 2018 aiming ‘to reclaim the world titles which are rightfully mine’.
‘I’m a fighting man through and through and I’ve never backed down from anyone in my life and I was certainly not going to back down from fighting this dispute,’ he said in a statement.
‘Hughie and I have maintained our innocence from day one and we’re now happy that it has finally been settled with UKAD and that we can move forward knowing that we’ll not be labelled drug cheats.’
‘Next year I will be back doing what I do best, better than ever and ready to reclaim the world titles which are rightfully mine. It’s time to get the party started.’
Fury ballooned up in weight during his time out of the ring and is without a boxing licence
The news is a welcome boost for the 29-year-old, who has been eyeing a return to his throne for several months.
He recently moved a step closer to a ring comeback by signing a deal with management company MTK global. But there remain several hurdles for Fury to cross before he can step through the ropes once more.
The former unified world champion, who has been in the gym training alongside Ricky Hatton near Manchester in recent weeks, ballooned up to 25st during his two-year hiatus from the sport.
He also remains without a boxing licence from a British Boxing Board of Control but can now apply for one. UKAD revealed, however, that the BBBofC agreed with the decision to end proceedings against the self-styled Gypsy King.
Both Tyson and his cousin Hughie, who unsuccessfully challenged for the WBO world heavyweight title in September, were charged with doping offences by UK Anti-Doping.
Both Tyson and Hughie Fury (right) are free to box after agreeing to backdated doping bans
The hearing, which had been delayed and unresolved for months, was due to resume on Monday. But neither Fury nor UKAD turned up to the hearing, prompting further uncertainty surrounding the two fighters’ future.
But in a joint statement released on Tuesday, UKAD and the Furys revealed that they had reached an agreement that would see the boxers accept a two-year doping ban backdated to December 13, 2015.
The charges related back to tests in February 2015, which revealed ‘reported presence of elevated levels of nandrolone metabolites in urine samples’.
But a UKAD statement explained: ‘Taking into account the delays in results management that meant charges were not brought in respect of the nandrolone findings until June 2016, and the provisional suspensions that Tyson and Hughie Fury have already effectively served, the two year period of ineligibility is backdated to 13 December 2015, and therefore expires at midnight on 12 December 2017.’
When he returns to the ring, Fury will look to reclaim the titles he surrendered amid self-confessed problems with depression and drugs following his win over Klitschko.
Fury, 29, has been back in the gym training ahead of a comeback alongside Ricky Hatton
The former unified champion is eyeing a mega-fight against IBF and WBA king Anthony Joshua
The 29-year-old has won all 25 of his professional fights and is still considered the heavyweight champion of the world by Ring Magazine. But his personal problems saw a splintering of the division, from which the likes of Joshua have risen to rule the division.
AJ holds the WBA and IBF belts, while American Deontay Wilder is the WBC champion and Joseph Parker the WBO king. Fury has been calling out the three belt holders in recent months and could now play crucial role in what could be a decisive 12 months in the future of the division.
Joshua, Wilder and Parker have all made clear their desire to unify the belts, while Fury has been touted as a possible opponent for all three.
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has made clear his desire to work with Fury to make a massive domestic clash with Joshua, while Parker’s promoter David Higgins told Sportsmail he felt the 29-year-old deserved a shot at the WBO belt he vacated in October 2016.
Following his defeat by Parker, Hughie Fury has been eyeing a fight with fellow British heavyweight Dillian Whyte in the new year after resolving the case with UKAD.
He said: ‘I’m a fighter and all I want to do is get in the ring and fight. Now that this matter has been resolved I can resume my career freely. Tyson and I were innocent from the very start and I’m delighted this is now the end of the matter.’