Tyson Fury has been told he must wait until next year to hear whether or not his suspension will be lifted. Photo / Getty
Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will now have to wait until next year to discover whether or not his suspension will be lifted.
Fury, who was banned from boxing in 2015 after elevated levels of nandrolone was detected in urine samples, was declared free to re-enter the ring earlier this week.
The news was a welcomed boost for the 29-year-old who had been eyeing up his return for months, and was quick to challenge boxers Anthony Joshua and Billy Joe Saunders on Twitter.
However, The British Boxing Board of Control said in acknowledgement of the U.K Anti-Doping investigation's decision, "Tyson Fury's boxing license suspension will be only considered by the stewards of the board in January".
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Fury did not receive the news well and posted: "special message to British boxing commission re Licance" to Twitter with an Instagram link which has now been removed.
A video, believed to be the deleted Instagram post, later emerged of Fury rapping: "So the BBoC won't let me be ... so get ready cause this s**** about to get heavy, I just settled my lawsuit, f*** you Eddie".
General secretary of The British Boxing Board of Control, Robert Smith, said the decision was made based on the priority of making sure Fury is "healthy, mentally fit and physically fit'' to resume fighting.
"He's been off for a long time and you can't just click your fingers and get back into a competitive boxing ring. We have to [be] satisfied with regard to his medical health.''
"He obviously has work to do to lose weight and get fighting fit, and that may take some time,'' Smith said, "but we have to make sure he is mentally and physically OK. We will take our time and do the job properly. We won't be rushed into anything."
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Despite Fury's confidence, Smith said he would need "one or two warm-up contests'' before challenging for the world title again.
Fury had previously held Kiwi boxer Joseph Parker's WBO world title before he was suspended.
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