Tyson Fury will be stripped of his WBO belt unless..

British world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will be stripped of his WBO belt unless he responds to a notice from its chairman in the next 10 days.

Fury must explain why the belt should not be vacated due to "inactivity, breach of contract and performance-enhancing drugs".

Fury withdrew from October's rematch with Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko because of mental health issues.

The 28-year-old has said he was taking cocaine to help deal with depression.

The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) is meeting on 12 October when it will look at Fury's cocaine admission, which was made during an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. Manchester fighter Fury currently holds both the WBO and the WBA titles.

WBO chairman Luis Batista-Salas said he was concerned for Fury's "health, well-being, happiness and prospects for a full and complete recovery". However, WBA president Gilberto Mendoza told Sportsweek on Sunday that Fury deserved a chance "to overcome this situation".

He added: "Our main concern is what's going on with the title and the whole situation that's around him. "I cannot say if we will strip him of the title, a yes or no, but the substance he took is a prohibitive substance that is against the rules and we have to take that into account."

The boxer's uncle and trainer Peter Fury said on Sunday that his nephew "will resume his career".

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