World heavyweight title contender Tyson Fury claimed on Tuesday that boxing has a “big problem” with doping and suggested that the sport should tackle the issue by legalising banned substances.
“I would say boxing's got a big problem with drugs,” Fury told BBC Radio 5 Live, ahead of his fight with WBA, WBO and IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko in Duesseldorf on Saturday.
“It doesn't bother me because at the end of the day it's determination over drugs any time. If a man wants to pump himself full of drugs, it's only shortening his life isn't it?
“That's why you see a lot of these bodybuilders and weightlifters have heart attacks young because they're pumped up so much and the heart can't take the pressure.”
Former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan said recently that any boxers caught doping should be banned for life, but the outspoken Fury believes that it should be accepted in all sport.
“Why don't they just make drugs totally legal in sports, then everybody would be taking drugs, then it would be fully fair then, wouldn't it?” Fury asked.
“If everyone was taking drugs then it would be fairer, I think, because you can't tell me that 99 percent of these sports people ain't taking drugs when they've got bodies like Greek gods.
“I know because I've trained all my life. I'm fighting for the heavyweight championship of the world. But my body is like jelly. It's a natural body, you see.” – AFP