Tyson Fury ‘100 per cent’ confident of defeating Anthony Joshua after beating Mariusz Wach

PATTAYA, Thailand – Tyson Fury immediately turned his attention to Anthony Joshua after stopping Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand.

Fury returned to the ring in unusual surroundings on Friday night, stopping the 46-year-old Wach after seven rounds at Pattaya's Max Muaythai Stadium. Fury was far from his best, and seemed to go through the motions against his veteran opponent. The contest served as a tune-up ahead of the proposed clash with Joshua later this year, but if Joshua was in attendance he would have surely been licking his lips.

Despite this, Fury saw the seven rounds banked against Wach as a positive ahead of what will surely be a much tougher assignment later this year.

“It went really well,” Fury told BoxingScene in the carpark following his win. “I got a good seven rounds in, plenty of punches landed, entertained everybody, had a good time. I got out of there in one piece and I’ll go home to my family. Thank you everybody.”

Asked whether Joshua was now next, Fury left little doubt.

“100 per cent, hopefully,” he said. “Let's get it on.”

Joshua is due to return to action against Kristian Prenga on Saturday, though Fury revealed he has no plans to travel to Saudi Arabia to watch his long-time rival.

“No, I'm going to go straight home,” Fury said.

Fury also backed Joshua to overcome Prenga, comparing the 20-1 (20 KOs) Albanian to Daniel Baer who was stopped in the opener by Simon Ibekwe before Fury left the arena.

“Yeah [Joshua will win],” he said. “Prenga is probably like that fella who just fought at the end there.”

And when asked if he was confident of defeating Joshua should the fight finally be made, Fury's response was emphatic.

“100 per cent, please,” he said before jumping in a car headed to the airport. Will his flight be heading to his wife Paris in the Isle of Man, or to Joshua in Jeddah. We will find out tomorrow.