Unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua believes Tyson Fury is the opponent who could cause him the most problems and has claimed he could knock Deontay Wilder out with one shot.
With WBC heavyweight champion Wilder, WBO belt holder Joseph Parker and former champion Fury all keen to fight him, the stage is set for a blockbuster 2018 for WBA, IBO and IBF king Joshua.
All four men are undefeated but, while bouts with Wilder and Parker may soon be in the offing, the path to a fight with Fury is more difficult.
Fury has not fought since dethroning Wladimir Klitschko for the WBA, IBF and WBO belts back in November 2015. He does not have a boxing licence and is still awaiting the resumption of a UK Anti-Doping hearing after allegations were made against him - and that hearing is going to take place next month.
Joshua's fellow Briton has also struggled to stay in shape in his absence, but the 28-year-old still feels Fury has the skillset and the mindset to trouble him more than Wilder and Parker.
Asked who would be the most difficult opponent of the three, Joshua, speaking courtesy of Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts/Sports Tonight, said:
"Fury. He's just awkward, tall and I think he's a bit of a nutjob to be honest with you. I think he's just got a bit of a screw loose. Any man with a screw loose... they just have a little something that you can't put your finger on. So with Fury it would be tricky to figure him out," Joshua stated.
"Fury would be a real breakdown job, a real gruesome type fight. Kind of like that Klitschko fight - I'll go to hellfire and back to get the win."
Joshua was knocked down in his 11th-round win over Klitschko back in April, while Fury emerged relatively unscathed from his unanimous decision triumph against the now-retired Ukrainian.
However, Joshua said of Fury's performance:
“Fury boxed twelve rounds and ran,” Joshua said. “I don't respect that. If I'm the King of Dubai in the olden days and a different empire comes to take my territory, you don't come and steal my treasure – that's what Fury's done I think.
“He stole the boxing from Klitschko in the sense that he just boxed and moved. If an up and coming king wants to take the king's treasure, you look him in the face and put the dagger in his chest. You don't stay from afar and slash, slash. You go to war and that is what me and Klistchko did.
“The new king is announced if you really dethrone the old king, you knock him out and took him out of the throne and now you sit on the throne. If you go to points you're only as good as the last champion. You have to knock out the old champion to show you're stronger and fiercer.
“If I went out there and went 12 rounds with Klitschko then we are just as good as each other. The judges made the decision on the fight, I went out there and knocked him out. I took the belts from him. I didn't leave it to judges.”
