Troubled Fury could lose boxing license

MANCHESTER, England (AP) World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury could lose his license on Wednesday when British boxing chiefs discuss the future of the troubled fighter, who has admitted to taking cocaine to deal with manic depression.

The British Boxing Board of Control will hold a meeting in Cardiff and general secretary Robert Smith has said Fury's ''recent issues'' will be among the subjects up for discussion.

Fury has not fought since beating Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015 to claim the WBA, WBO and IBF titles. He has twice pulled out of a rematch with Klitschko, the second withdrawal coming last month - ahead of a scheduled Oct. 29 fight - when Fury was declared ''medically unfit'' by his team.

The World Boxing Organization confirmed in a statement released Monday that it received a report from the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) in the United States showing that Fury failed a drug test on Sept. 22, and asked Fury if he has requested analysis of a `B' sample. The WBO also said it received information from the British board that Fury refused to be drug-tested last month.

In a rambling interview with Rolling Stone magazine published earlier this month, Fury is quoted as saying he has been bingeing on cocaine and alcohol to deal with manic depression.

''I've been out drinking, Monday to Friday to Sunday,'' Fury told the magazine. ''I've taken drugs, cocaine, on many, many occasions for the last six months.''

In the interview, he also described himself as a ''manic depressive'' and said: ''I just hope someone kills me before I kill myself.''

Britain's former two-weight world champion, Ricky Hatton, had his license taken away by the British board in 2010 following widespread allegations about the use of cocaine. It was returned two years later following a personal hearing.

Fury was stripped of the IBF title soon after beating Klitschko, for not fighting a mandatory challenger. The WBO said in its statement on Monday that Fury had 10 days to show why his WBO belt ''should not be vacated due to inactivity, breach of contract and performance-enhancing drugs and stimulants.''

If the 28-year-old Fury loses his license, Klitschko and IBF champion Anthony Joshua could fight for the new vacant world titles.