Tyson Fury
Fury has been out of the sport for over two years since beating Wladimir Klitschko. Getty Images

KEY POINTS

  • The former heavyweight champion has formally submitted an application for his boxing licence.
  • Permit to fight had been suspended due to anti-doping violation, which saw him banned for two years.
  • Fury offered opportunity to accompany Parker in ring-walk ahead of unification bout with Joshua.

Tyson Fury has finally submitted an application to the British Boxing Board of Control to reclaim his boxing licence, paving the way for his return to the sport.

The Manchester fighter had his permit to compete suspended in 2016 by the governing body as a result of an anti-doping violation, which later saw him handed a two-year retrospective ban.

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Fury confirmed last week his intention to apply for his license, with Frank Warren submitting the application on his behalf in the hope of representing the former heavyweight world champion.

Sky Sports now understand that the process in finally under way, which could yet see Fury fulfil his aim of returninging to competition in April of this year.

The ex-WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO world champion is targeting an all-British title fight in boxing's blue-ribbon division with Anthony Joshua and has issued several stinging put downs in the Olympic champion's direction.

Having not stepped into the ring since the November 2015 win over Wladimir Klitschko, Fury is currently undergoing an intensive training programme that has seen him shed four stone already.

Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn have dismissed Fury's aim of returning to take on the Watford fighter as fantasy, yet there remains a desire within the Matchroom camp for the bout to happen.

Though the clash between the pair looks unlikely at this current juncture, Joshua and Fury could yet come face-to-face in just over two months' time.

New Zealander Joseph Parker may offer Fury the chance to be part of his pre-fight ring-walk prior to facing Joshua in their heavyweight unification clash at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on 31 March.

"I might give him a text and say: "Bro do you want to walk in with me?" Parker told The Daily Mail. "He may just walk in with me or he may just sit in the front and watch the fight. But I know I have a lot of support from Tyson, which is pretty awesome."

Parker defeated Tyson's brother Hughie to successfully defend his WBO title in his previous outing last September and remains on good terms with the Fury family. Joshua, meanwhile, has welcomed the possibility of Fury being present for the bout, the first ever heavyweight unification fight on British soil.

"It's good. It brings attention to the sport," he told Sky Sports. "It will be interesting because I am sure Fury will try and do a little tag-team and do a few rounds for him. He's just got that in his locker.

"No matter what he says outwardly, he has a lot of underlying respect for me and that's just as a far as I know but I just take it with a pinch of salt. I don't take anything from him to heart and if he wants he is welcome to walk to the ring."