Tyson Fury is a boxer who battles his own demons as well as opponents in the ring.
He stands proud holding the world heavyweight WBA, WBO, IBO titles – he was also stripped of the IBF title which he won defeating Ukrainian Vladimir Klitschko to take the other titles.
Officials took back the title because Fury turned down a fight with IBF challenger Vyacheslav Glazkov because he had already arranged a rematch with Klitschko.
Now that fight is in doubt as Fury and his fighter cousin Hughie are both scheduled to defend accusations that failed a drug test when a banned substance believed to be nandrolone was detected.
Nandrolone is a steroid for building muscle.
No love lost with Klitschko
Although many athletes in different sports have faced bans for using the substance, most have been overturned as nandrolone occurs in the body naturally and lawyers argue the tests return false readings.
Fight experts believe Fury has opted to go to the hearing before the rematch with Klitschko as he feels he has a good chance of beating a ban. The timing also stops Klitschko challenging the result if Fury retains his belts but is later found guilty of taking performance enhancing drugs.
With no love lost between Fury and Klitschko, Fury beat his rival in a unanimous points decision after 12 rounds at a bout in Dusseldorf.
The rematch was scheduled for July in Manchester, Fury’s home town, but cancelled due to Fury spraining an ankle.
The long-awaited confrontation now takes place in Manchester in October 2016.
Besides his drug issues, Fury has courted controversy many times in his career.
Courting controversy
He brands himself a gypsy and claims he has been victimised because of his race. In April, told reporters he would go to America for a better life.
“Nobody wants to see a gypsy do well,” he said.
“I am a gypsy and that’s it. I will always be a gypsy, I’ll never change. I will always be fat and white and that’s it. I am the champion yet I am thought of as a bum. I am moving out of the country.
“I am going to America where champions are better thought of. I am moving to Los Angeles where people have a better life. I made the decision last week to go where people admire success.”
After winning the BBC Sports personality of the Year Award last year, Fury was strongly criticised for his aggressive stance on the gay community that stems from his catholic background.
He was accused of making homophobic remarks.
Fury also threatened to hang his sister ‘if she is promiscuous’.