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London - WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders has
backed former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury to resolve his doping
issues and fight on the undercard for the Briton's title defence against
Georgian Avtandil Khurtsidze in July.
Fury was charged by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) last June for
allegedly consuming a performance-enhancing drug. He vacated his titles,
admitted to battling depression and his boxing license was revoked in October
pending an investigation.
The former WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion, who has
not fought since beating Wladimir Klitschko to win the titles in 2015,
maintained his innocence prior to a UKAD hearing scheduled for last week that
was subsequently postponed.
"Mentally, Tyson is out of the dark place which worried
me. We had long chats and, like me, realised that what we do is box,"
Saunders told reporters of his compatriot while promoting his fight on Monday.
"It all comes down to there being only one thing for
him and that's boxing. He is good for the sport and it would be a shame to see
it taken away from him.
"There wasn't a day when he wasn't up early in the
morning ready to go out, running by the beach... Everything is there with
Tyson, it just needs putting back together."
Saunders also said that Fury would be more popular than
British world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua had he displayed a more
personal side to the media.
"You only see the media side of Tyson, what the man
puts out there," Saunders said. "When you know him personally, he's
different. If he was to show that side, he'd be loved more than Anthony Joshua.
"He's 28 years old and never been arrested. I'm 27 and
have been arrested 12 times, so he's got a better record than me. He's a good
family man, not an animal."
Unbeaten Saunders (24-0) will meet the 38-year-old Khurtsidze (33-2-2) at the Copper Box Arena in London on July 8.
