Boxing: Tyson Fury 'tested positive for cocaine and will be stripped of his belts'

WBA, WBO and The Ring heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury tested positive for cocaine, it has been reported.

ESPN’s Dan Rafael broke the news on Friday afternoon, saying: “Fury, who pulled out of an October 29 rematch with Wladimir Klitschko last week due to what his promoter termed as Fury being “medically unfit,” was notified that he failed a VADA-conducted test for cocaine in a random urine sample collected on September 22.

“The results of VADA’s testing for performance enhancing drugs are not yet complete, but the positive cocaine test likely will result in Fury being stripped of his world title belts.”

[PICTURE THIS: TYSON FURY STUNS WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO]

Fury was already set for a battle to retain his championship status after his second withdraw from a contractually-mandated rematch with Klitschko, whom he defeated via unanimous decision in Dusseldorf last November.

Reports suggest Klitschko could instead sign on to face Anthony Joshua in Manchester on November 26, but AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn insisted this week that while talks have been held, the fight is nowhere near a lock yet.

If the two sides are able to agree terms, this latest turn of events with Fury could see one or more of the Morecambe giant’s belts put on the line between IBF titlist Joshua and the former champion Klitschko.