David Haye has backed Tyson Fury to make a triumphant return to the ring once he has dealt with his personal problems.
Fury yesterday vacated his WBA and WBO heavyweight titles after pulling out of two scheduled rematches against Wladimir Klitschko, the second of which was thought to be down to mental health issues.
The 28-year-old also had his boxer's licence temporarily suspended earlier today pending further investigation, and Haye offered advice on how the Brit could get out of his current rut.
"I'd say to [Fury] 'Get away with your family, a change of scenery. Somewhere nice and beautiful, where nobody knows you, and switch off. Don't take your phone, check Twitter - switch off and enjoy the moment, reconnect with why you've been putting your body through years of hardship. Even if the worst happens, and he gets banned, he's still a young guy. This might not be the end, this might be the start, the catalyst that turns his career around. He can re-invent himself," Haye told PA.
"His belts are gone now, [so] he needs to get away from any negativity, hang around with positive people, get his body in good shape - he looked really overweight - start watching his diet, eating healthy food, [and] stay away from alcohol - that's the worst one. Sitting at home in a country that's clouded over, it's very difficult to come out of any mental downturn. It's not self-inflicted, it just happens. There's a statistic where I think one in five people will get depression.
"I had it in small quantities and there was nothing wrong with me. Physically I was in fantastic shape. I was undefeated, but found myself locked in my room for days at a time in the dark, not talking to anyone, turning my phone off. I don't know what caused it. For whatever reason I just laid in bed, under the covers, in the dark, shut the curtains, and stayed there for days.
"I talked to a friend - someone who knew what he was talking about - and he explained 'Something in your brain isn't firing like it should, it's a chemical imbalance, so whatever makes you feel good, [gets] that serotonin pumping - try and find it'. So I went straight to the airport, to Gran Canaria, and a couple of days later I was feeling like myself again. To this day, if I've not got much on, I'll go somewhere hot. That's helped maintain a level of happiness.
"It's just the beginning of [Fury's] story, not the end. Muhammad Ali, when he refused to go to Vietnam, had all of his belts taken off of him. He was 'a traitor, a coward, wasn't a real American'. They said it was over for him, and that was the start - his legend was born. I'm not comparing him to Ali. I'm hoping he uses this to regenerate himself. [He can be] way better than he's ever been. He'll be back, right as rain, and stronger mentally for it."
The belts vacated by Fury could be up for grabs should Anthony Joshua face Klitschko later this year.
Barney Corkhill
