Heavyweight champ cites depression and cocaine, alcohol use

LONDON – Troubled heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury says he has been bingeing on cocaine and alcohol to deal with manic depression.

The British boxer has not fought since beating Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015 to claim the WBA, WBO and IBF titles.

A rematch with Klitschko was postponed for a second time last month after Fury was declared “medically unfit.”

Fury spoke of his “personal demons” in a rambling interview with Rolling Stone .

“I’m a manic depressive. I just hope someone kills me before I kill myself,” Fury is quoted as saying.

Fury said he quit his training camp in the Netherlands in May and has been on a downward spiral since.

“I’ve been out drinking, Monday to Friday to Sunday,” Fury said. “I’ve taken drugs, cocaine, on many, many occasions for the last six months.”

Fury was stripped of the IBF title for not fighting a mandatory challenger, but he still has the WBO and WBA titles. That could change because of his ongoing inactivity and the potential withdrawal of his license by the British Boxing Board of Control.

“The Board meets next week and we’ll discuss it, I’m fairly sure,” BBBofC general secretary Robert Smith told Britain’s Press Association.

“The meeting won’t be for Tyson Fury alone. We have a meeting on Oct. 12. All of Mr. Fury’s recent issues will be discussed at that point, after which we’ll see what we’re going to do.”