Tyson Fury has spent the past few months building excitement ahead of his return to boxing.

He’s called out Anthony Joshua and Tony Bellew and posted a number of videos of himself working out on Instagram.

Fury’s return is, of course, one of the most eagerly-anticipated boxing stories of 2018. A heavyweight champion two years ago, the world waits to see whether he is the one to knock Joshua off his perch.

Whether you like him or not, it’s impossible to ignore Fury. He’s certainly one of the most outspoken people in the sport and his return is great for the heavyweight division.

But British light-heavyweight Anthony Yarde has tempered excitement surrounding Fury’s return by pointing out that people shouldn’t forget about the mental issues he has suffered over the past year.

Thirteen months ago, Fury relinquished the heavyweight belts he won by beating Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015 - he hasn’t fought since - and also had his licence revoked by the British Boxing Board of Control.

And Yarde believes nobody should make light of the Gypsy King’s issues.

Yarde: 'Mental health is not a joke'

“For me, Tyson Fury, out of all the heavyweights, he’s the most entertaining,” Yarde, the WBO European light-heavyweight champion, told FightHype.com.

“I want to see him come back. Mental health is not a joke so everyone needs to stop making jokes about it and things like that.

“Take it serious because the more people who joke about it, everyones attention is going to go off of it and start looking at the things he’s doing that's funny.

“Yes it’s part of his personality because he’s always been like that but again, when they’re saying that there’s mental health issues there, take that serious.

“I feel like the people around him need to be keeping a close eye on him, trying to get him back to fighting ways and making sure that he’s fit to fight but he needs to come back to boxing, 100 per cent.”

Watch: Tyson Fury in the ring

Back in April, Fury penned a lengthy Twitter post in which he admitted to turning to drink and drugs in an effort to cope with his “demons”.

“I hit the drink & drugs trying to find a way out but it didn’t help,” Fury wrote.

“I ballooned in weight. Was very sad every day for almost 2 years. But with the help of god I have made a massive turn around.”

Seeing Fury back in the ring would certainly be a treat.