Tyson Fury claims he has taken "lots of cocaine" over the past six months and does not know if he will see the year out, saying: "I hope someone kills me before I kill myself."
In a dark interview with Rolling Stone, the 28-year-old appears to confirm recent reports of a positive test for the drug and opens up on the depression keeping him out of the ring.
Fury has not fought since taking Wladimir Klitschko's heavyweight belts off him last November, with their proposed rematch now cancelled twice at Fury's request.
Injury was cited the first time and ahead of an October 29 date Fury was declared "medically unfit", with many in the boxing world fearing for his mental well-being.
Furthermore, o n Monday he wrote on his Twitter account that he had retired, only to reverse the decision within three hours.
There had been no comment from Fury's camp on the cocaine reports - said to have come from a test done by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association - but the fighter himself appears to have confirmed them to Rolling Stone.
In an interview the magazine says was conducted on Monday and before his retirement U-turn, Fury says: "Listen, I've done a lot of things in my life. I've done lots of cocaine. Lots of it.
"Why shouldn't I take cocaine? It's my life, isn't it? I can do what I want. Yeah, I have done cocaine. Plenty of people have done cocaine as well."
Going on to explain why the fight has been called off again, he added: "I've not been in a gym for months. I've not been training. I've been going through depression. I just don't want to live any more, if you know what I'm saying. I've had total enough of it.
"They've forced me to the breaking edge. Never mind cocaine. I just didn't care. I don't want to live any more. So cocaine is a little minor thing compared to not wanting to live any more."
He continued: "I'm in a very bad place at the moment. I don't know whether I'm coming or going. I don't know what's going to happen to me. I don't know if I'm going to see the year out, to be honest.
"If I could take my own life - and I wasn't a Christian - I'd take it in a second. I just hope someone kills me before I kill myself."
In further quotes which would appear to support the reports of a failed test, Fury added: "I never took other drugs, ever, in my life. I only started to take cocaine in the last few months."
Fury's comments could well be of interest and general concern to the British Boxing Board of Control, but it was unavailable for comment when contacted by the Press Association, as were Fury's camp.
He did, however, claim he has been clean since the first of the month.
Fury, a member of the travelling community, believes there has been a witch-hunt against him ever since he dethroned Klitschko, taking his IBF, WBO and WBA titles.
He was stripped of the former when it became clear he would pursue a rematch and not fight mandatory challenger Vyacheslav Glazkov.
"It's been a witch-hunt ever since I won that world title," Fury added. "Ever since I got a bit of fame for doing good there's been a witch-hunt on me because of my background, because of who I am and what I do."
In the interview, Fury talks about his decision to retire - something he later reversed on Twitter and followed up with a declaration of better health.
"Good news is I'm getting the right help & I'll be back even stronger than before, try & stop me!!" he wrote.
Source: PA
