Tyson vents his fury

05 October 2016 - 10:36 By Sports reporter

Tyson Fury declared on Monday that he would return to defend his heavyweight world titles, just hours after sending the sport into a frenzy by seemingly announcing his retirement from boxing in a foul-mouthed tweet. The self-styled "Gypsy King" could be stripped of his titles and face further action from the boxing authorities after allegedly testing positive for cocaine last week, a situation he mocked by tweeting a picture of himself on Saturday mocked up as "Tyson Montana" - a reference to Al Pacino's character in Scarface.And Fury again used social media as his outlet on Monday, announcing his retirement while telling the fight industry to "go suck a d***", and claiming that pugilism is "a pile of s***".He was heavily criticised for his actions, with England cricketer Ben Stokes describing him as "an embarrassment to professional sport".Fury was back on Twitter less than three hours later, however, retracting his comments and reversing his decision to retire. Fury claimed the world of boxing will not "get rid of the GYPSYKING that easy!!! I'm here to stay", proclaiming in a second tweet that he will be "defending what's mine" as "soon as I get better".It is the latest controversy to engulf Fury since one of the greatest upsets in modern heavyweight boxing 10 months ago when he beat Wladimir Klitschko to claim the IBF, WBO, WBA, IBO and The Ring Magazine titles.Shortly before news of his allegedly positive cocaine test emerged Fury withdrew from a rematch against Klitschko in what would have been the biggest payday of his career on October 29. Fury would have earned about £6-million (R104-million) but it is understood he is having trouble with motivation and focus, and could be stripped of the WBA and WBO heavyweight belts for failing to defend them.What happens to Fury in the coming weeks could have a lasting effect not just on his career, but his life. His actions on Monday only add to the complexity of the situation Fury finds himself in.Three days ago a leaked report alleged Fury was reportedly notified he had tested positive for benzoylecgonine, the central compound found in cocaine, from a random urine sample taken by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association on September 22. Even the British Boxing Board of Control, are scratching their heads over this, as they have never dealt with the Las Vegas organisation.In July Fury had pulled out of a proposed defence against the Ukrainian due to an ankle injury and had then been filmed celebrating with fans at Euro 2016, buying rounds of drinks in a bar.Billy Joe Saunders, whose own press conference for his WBO middleweight world title fight against Artur Akavov was "hijacked" by the Fury pronouncements, admitted his friend is in "a dark place"."I've known him all my life," Saunders said. "I chatted to him the other day and he's in a dark, dark place in his life. If you take his boxing away from him, and what he loves doing, he won't live to see 30. People need to step back and give him some space."..

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