‘Medically unfit’ Fury can’t fight
NEXT month’s world heavyweight title rematch between champion Tyson Fury and Ukrainian Vladimir Klitschko was called off yesterday for a second time with the Briton ruled ‘‘medically unfit’’.
The fight was due to be held on October 29 in Manchester, having been originally postponed in July when Fury suffered an ankle injury.
‘‘Tyson has this week been declared medically unfit to fight,’’ his promoters Hennessy Sports said in a statement without elaborating.
‘‘Medical specialists have advised that the condition is too severe to allow him to participate in the rematch and that he will require treatment before going back into the ring.
‘‘We and Tyson wish to express our sincerest apologies to all those concerned with the event and all the boxing fans who had been looking forward to the rematch. Tyson is understandably devastated by the development,’’ read the statement.
‘‘We will be making a further statement in due course. Until then we ask that Tyson and his family be given the privacy and the space he needs to recover during this difficult time.’’
Previous champion Klitschko, who had ruled the heavyweight division for a decade, raised doubts about the fight going ahead during a news conference earlier this month.
Fury, who has been charged over anti-doping violations but denies any wrongdoing, caused a huge shock when he registered a unanimous points victory over the Ukrainian in November.
The unbeaten Briton, who has courted controversy throughout his career, was charged by UK Anti- - REUTERS GETTY IMAGES Doping (UKAD) in June after a urine sample taken nine months before he beat Klitschko showed traces of the banned substance nandrolone.
Fury’s legal team said the result of tests on the samples in March and May 2015 were contradictory and launched High Court proceedings against UKAD.
A provisional suspension was lifted pending the result of an independent hearing.
Just last month, Klitschko said he would wait for as long as it takes for his re-match with Fury.
Klitschko, who has since turned 40, said that defeat by the 28-yearold so-called Gypsy King had motivated him to get better.
‘‘It was actually a great experience for me,’’ he said at a news conference in London at which Fury failed to show.
‘‘I always say that when one door closes another opens.
‘‘I’ve gained out of it and have great motivation and I’m obsessed with the goal to get my titles back.’’