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ESPN staff:
Chagaev's shot, but given Fury's defence, just about any HW is dangerous.
Tyson Fury will struggle to make the jump in quality if he does meet Ruslan Chagaev in his next fight, according to Steve Bunce.
Fury has suggested he is looking at the possibility of facing Chagaev, the former WBA heavyweight champion, later this year for his 20th professional contest.
The Brit has breezed through his last four against the likes of Vinny Maddalone and Martin Rogan, prompting critics to suggest he is not testing himself against top-level opponents during a key learning stage in his career.
And Bunce feels that the still-dangerous Chagaev, 33, would teach Fury a few useful lessons - but may prove a bridge too far.
"Chagaev is a brilliant match-up for Fury, and if Fury were to beat him, it would make him one of the leading contenders in the world," Bunce told ESPN.
"Chagaev is still a handful and I'd argue it's too big a step up after Fury's recent run of fights - however, if it was promoted and managed correctly, and promoter Mick Hennessy can make it happen, then it would be fine.
"What you don't want is to fight Chagaev in front of 3,000 at a leisure centre on the edge of town. It's a big fight, so let's make it a big fight.
"Maybe you go overseas if you need to. You can't have it vanish on an undercard, this is a big event. Wherever Chagaev can fight, that's where it should take place."
Fury has suggested he is looking at the possibility of facing Chagaev, the former WBA heavyweight champion, later this year for his 20th professional contest.
The Brit has breezed through his last four against the likes of Vinny Maddalone and Martin Rogan, prompting critics to suggest he is not testing himself against top-level opponents during a key learning stage in his career.
And Bunce feels that the still-dangerous Chagaev, 33, would teach Fury a few useful lessons - but may prove a bridge too far.
"Chagaev is a brilliant match-up for Fury, and if Fury were to beat him, it would make him one of the leading contenders in the world," Bunce told ESPN.
"Chagaev is still a handful and I'd argue it's too big a step up after Fury's recent run of fights - however, if it was promoted and managed correctly, and promoter Mick Hennessy can make it happen, then it would be fine.
"What you don't want is to fight Chagaev in front of 3,000 at a leisure centre on the edge of town. It's a big fight, so let's make it a big fight.
"Maybe you go overseas if you need to. You can't have it vanish on an undercard, this is a big event. Wherever Chagaev can fight, that's where it should take place."