Tyson Fury: Heavyweight boxing champion 'here to stay' after 'retirement'

World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury says he is "here to stay" after earlier suggesting he had retired from boxing.

The British fighter, who withdrew from his 29 October rematch with Wladimir Klitschko because of reported mental health issues, had tweeted: "I'm the greatest, and I'm also retired."

But three hours later, Fury, 28, was back on social media to suggest his earlier claim had been a joke.

"Hahahaha, you think you will get rid of the Gypsy King that easy?" he said.

"I'm here to stay. #TheGreatest. Just shows you what the media are like. Tut tut. Soon as I get better I'll be defending what's mine - the heavyweight throne."

In a subsequent tweet, he added: "Good news is I'm getting the right help and I'll be back even stronger than before, try and stop me!"

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Fury had been scheduled to earn the biggest purse of his career for his second fight with Klitschko at Manchester Arena this month.

He postponed the original rematch against the Ukrainian, which was scheduled for July, after injuring an ankle in training.

He was then given 10 days by the World Boxing Organisation to provide detailed reasons for his second withdrawal.

Fury's earlier tweet, suggesting he had retired from the sport

Fury, who holds the WBA and WBO titles, also faces a hearing in November into a charge for an alleged doping violation.

He was charged by the UK Anti-Doping Agency (Ukad) in June, after traces of a banned substance were allegedly found in a urine sample.

The fighter has denied allegations of doping. However, it has also been alleged he refused to give a sample when visited by a Ukad official.

An athlete who refuses to take a test can be banned for four years.

It is almost a year since Fury beat Klitschko on points to gain the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO titles. It was the 40-year-old Klitschko's first loss since 2004.

Within two weeks, Fury was stripped of the IBF title because he was unable to fight mandatory challenger Vyacheslav Glazkov.

That belt is now held by rival British heavyweight Anthony Joshua.

Analysis

Mike Costello, BBC Radio 5 live boxing correspondent:

"Tyson Fury revels in toying with the media. Within the space of four hours, we have seen another one of his performances.

"There is confusion and controversy all around Fury. as there has been ever since he won the world title last November. "It was one of the great upsets recorded by a British boxer in the history of the heavyweight division, yet it has been clouded by what he has said and done in the aftermath.

"I did an interview with middleweight boxer Billy Joe Saunders and he told me Fury is in 'a bad place', worse than he has ever seen him. The two are good friends and he has known him all his professional career.

"Fury has not built up a reservoir of goodwill with either the media or the many fans who have booked tickets, trains and hotels for the October rematch and the original rematch in July. Will the fans trust him in the future? Will promoters trust him any more and book a hold of a stadium or arena wondering if he will ever turn up? He has put himself in a really difficult position here."