Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua fight plans scuppered after Boxing Board of Control refuse to lift ban

Tyson Fury’s hopes of an imminent all-British world heavyweight title clash with Anthony Joshua have been dashed after the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) confirmed they would not lift his suspension until his doping case was resolved.

The 28-year-old hasn’t boxed since beating Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 and was stripped of his licence the following year, a day after vacating the belts he won from the Ukrainian.

Fury had also testing positive for cocaine while in the United States and has been charged by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) as a result.

The heavyweight returned to training last month but any return has been put on ice as his UKAD hearing was postponed, with no date set for its resumption.

With the postponement, the BBBoC could lift his suspension at any time, but it is now clear that they will wait until Fury has been cleared to fight again or given a suspension, depending on UKAD’s verdict.

READ MORE: Three key battles as Manchester United face Ajax

READ MORE: Mourinho to sell Smalling after ‘losing patience’ with him

READ MORE: From Bravo to Rooney - the European Worst Team of the Season

BBBoC general secretary Robert Smith told Press Association Sport: "The BBBoC is awaiting the outcome of the UKAD hearing and at present his boxing licence is suspended until such time, after which the BBBoC will consider Mr Fury's position further."

The frustration felt by Fury's camp is understandable, given the fact he has not fought since his famous win over Klitschko, a feat arguably trumped by Joshua's thrilling victory over the Ukrainian last month.

There is also no doubt a Fury-Joshua clash would be a knockout at the box office and with broadcasters.

But it is also true that this is a hugely significant case for UKAD, which has a new chairman in Trevor Pearce, the former director of special investigations at the National Crime Agency, and has been lobbying government for more money and extra powers.

Fury and his cousin Hughie, another leading British heavyweight, have been on the agency's radar since traces of nandrolone, an anabolic steroid, were detected in their urine samples in February 2015, a story first reported by the Sunday Mirror last June.

Both men have strongly denied any wrongdoing and they were not charged with an anti-doping offence until June 24, 2016, the same day Tyson Fury postponed a rematch with Klitschko because of a sprained ankle.

It is understood these initial positives were not considered strong enough for anti-doping rule violations, particularly as follow-up tests did not corroborate them, and Tyson was allowed to fight Klitschko in November 2015, while Hughie has had five subsequent fights.

But those suspicious samples made it inevitable they would be targeted for extra tests in the future, which is what ultimately triggered UKAD's decision to charge the pair.

Fury's position is complicated by something Frank Warren has only recently revealed - the boxer refused to give a sample to a doping control officer last year.

"His big problem was, when they went for his test, Tyson told them to f*** off," the promoter told Press Association Sport.

"He filmed it; I've seen it. He said: 'What you've done to me is persecute me'. This is when he wasn't feeling too good.

"Then (his uncle and trainer) Peter Fury found out and called them, an hour later. He said: 'Can you come back?' And they wouldn't come back."

Under World Anti-Doping Agency rules, refusing a test is considered the same as a failed test and the starting point for punishing a first-time, intentional offence is a four-year ban.

Clearly, Fury's mental state is a mitigating factor, as is his uncle's attempt to bring the tester back and the uncertainty around those 2015 tests.

All of this was meant to be presented by Fury's legal team - led by top Canadian lawyer James Bunting - at this month's hearing in London, but the case was halted when UKAD's own legal star Jonathan Taylor objected to a member of the three-person panel's undeclared conflict of interest.

Given the fact these independent panels are comprised of senior lawyers, conflicts of interest due to earlier work are not uncommon, although they are usually resolved before the case starts.

Apparently, this one slipped through and a new panel must now be assembled, which is unlikely to happen until the autumn.

So any hopes Fury had of fighting on the Billy Joe Saunders-Avtandil Khurtsidze undercard in London on July can be forgotten.

A more realistic target for his return, providing the anti-doping panel either clears him or backdates a reduced ban and the BBBoC lifts his suspension, might be the beginning of next year.

Additional reporting by PA.