Trainer backs Fury to return

BOXING

TYSON FURY vacated his two world heavyweight title belts yesterday and had his boxing licence “suspended pending further investigation” after a meeting of the British Boxing Board of Control stewards.

However, the boxer’s uncle and trainer, Peter Fury, insisted he had “a massive future” and would be back next year

Fury is undergoing medical treatment for depression, having admitted to taking cocaine, 10 months after defeating Wladimir Klitschko to win heavyweight boxing’s No 1 position.

“Absolutely you will see him in the ring again,” Fury’s uncle said. “Boxing is his life. It’s in his blood. He doesn’t know anything else. He’s just frustrated.”

PARALYMPICS

PARALYMPIC medal-winning cyclist James Brown has been slapped with a two-and-a-half-year ban after being found guilty of a doping violation, Sport Ireland and Cycling Ireland announced yesterday.

The 51-year-old admitted he breached article 2.3 of Irish AntiDoping Rules, which is defined as evading sample collection or without compelling justification, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection.

Brown, who claimed bronze for Ireland at the tandem road time trial in 2012, faced a four-year ban but his degree of fault and the seriousness of the violation meant his penalty was reduced.

CYCLING

MICHAEL O’LOUGHLIN produced a stellar ride in yesterday’s U-23 World Championship road race in Doha, leading the race as part of a seven-man breakaway before being reeled in with 10km to go.

The Waterford rider, who crossed the line in 105th place, impressed with a strong performance in a race won by Norway’s Kristoffer Halvorsen after a bunch sprint.

O’Loughlin is in his first year in the U-23 ranks and raced as part of a break that stayed clear for the majority of the 166km race in Doha.

With 10km to go, the peloton caught the break – the gap had reached 2mins 35secs at one stage.

Eddie Dunbar was the top Irish finisher in 49th place with Daire Feeley in 57th.

ATHLETICS

JESSICA ENNIS-HILL, the 2012 Olympic heptathlon champion and golden girl of British athletics, announced her retirement yesterday.

“I’m so fortunate to have had such an amazing career within the sport I love and this has been one of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make. But I know that retiring now is right,” she said.

“I’ve always said I want to leave my sport on a high and have no regrets and I can truly say that,” added the world champion.