Tyson Fury: I took cocaine to help deal with depression

World heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury says he has been taking cocaine to help him deal with depression.

The British fighter said he has suffered mental health issues for years and has not trained since May.

"I've been out drinking, Monday to Friday to Sunday, and taking cocaine," Fury, 28, told Rolling Stone magazine.

It comes two days after Fury claimed on social media to have retired, before retracting the comment three hours later, saying it was a joke.

Speaking about his mental health issues, Fury added: "I can't deal with it and the only thing that helps me is when I get drunk out of my mind.

"They say I've got a version of bipolar. I'm a manic depressive. I just hope someone kills me before I kill myself."

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Fury beat Ukraine's Wladimir Klitschko last November to win the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO titles. It was 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.

A rematch with Klitschko was cancelled in July - with Fury citing injury - and the bout was rescheduled for 29 October at Manchester Arena.

However, that has also been called off, with Fury's uncle and trainer Peter Fury saying he does not expect to see his nephew in the ring again until 2017.

Fury, who is from the traveller community, told Rolling Stone he had been the victim of a "witch hunt" following his win over Klitschko, claiming he had even been turned away from restaurants with his family because of his heritage.

He said: "I'm the heavyweight champion of the world and I've been told, 'Sorry mate, you can't come in, no travellers allowed'.

"I used to love boxing when I was a kid. I hate boxing now."

Fury faces a UK Anti-Doping hearing in November after traces of a banned substance were allegedly found in a urine sample in June.

Fury told Rolling Stone he had taken cocaine only in recent months, once he had stopped training, and had never taken performance-enhancing substances.

He said he is also receiving help for his depression.