Timeline of the most notable and notorious moments in the controversial career of Tyson Fury, who announced late on Wednesday he is relinquishing his world heavyweight titles:
November 28, 2015
* Becomes the world heavyweight champion inflicting first defeat on Wladimir Klitschko for 11 years to secure the World Boxing Association, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization belts
December 5, 2015
* Just days after winning the titles he sparks controversy. "I believe a woman's best place is in the kitchen and on her back, that's my personal belief," he says in video posted on YouTube
December 8, 2015
* IBF strip Fury of their belt for failing to agree a fight with mandatory challenger Vyacheslav Glazkov
December 9, 2015
* British police in Manchester say they are investigating Fury after he makes outlandish comments on a video likening homosexuality to paedophilia
December 9, 2015
* Told to stay away from a prestigious British annual sporting awards ceremony by the Sports Journalists' Association who blast his views as "repugnant"
December 20, 2015
* Gives a ham-fisted apology at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards ceremony, claiming his previous comments were "tongue in cheek" and "fun and games"
May 12, 2016
* Sparks fresh controversy with a new foul-mouthed video rant in which he suggests rape and bestiality will one day be legalised. Launches an anti-Semitic tirade on same 57-minute video filmed at a training camp
May 17, 2016
* Says sorry for latest video, insisting "I am in no way a racist or bigot" and "I apologise to anyone who may have taken offence"
June 24, 2016
* Postpones rematch with Klitschko scheduled for July 9, citing an ankle injury sustained in training
June 26, 2015
* Denies claims made in a UK Sunday newspaper that he had failed a doping test in 2015
August 3, 2016
* Denies taking performance-enhancing drugs and says he will sue UK Anti-Doping (UKAD)
August 4, 2016
* Charged by UKAD for failing test for a prohibited substance. UKAD reveal that Fury had been provisionally suspended in June, but the ban was not made public at the time
September 7, 2016
* Rescheduled rematch with Klitschko confirmed for October 29
September 13, 2016
* Fury fails to turn up at press conference to promote Klitschko fight saying his car had broken down
September 23, 2016
* Postpones rematch for a second time saying he is "medically unfit"
September 26, 2016
* Trainer and uncle Peter Fury says boxer is "at an all-time low" and is "seeking help" for depression
October 1, 2016
* Media reports say Fury tested positive for cocaine and faces being stripped of his titles
October 3, 2016
* Appears to retire from boxing, tweeting: "I'm the greatest, and I'm also retired." Makes a U-turn three hours later and tweets "I'm here to stay"
October 5, 2016
* Admits to taking cocaine in interview published in Rolling Stone magazine, saying "I hope someone kills me before I kill myself"
October 12, 2016
* British Boxing Board of Control meets to consider revoking Fury's licence to fight after drug-taking revelations
October 12, 2016
* Fury announces he is vacating WBA and WBO titles "with immediate effect" to concentrate on his "medical treatment and recovery"
AFP