Tyson Fury labels himself ‘greatest heavyweight of all time’ ahead of comeback

Tyson Fury proclaimed himself “the greatest heavyweight of all time” and is making a beeline for Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder in an effort to become top dog in the division once again.

Fury established himself as the number one in boxing’s blue riband weight class in November 2015 when he wrenched the WBA, IBF and WBO crowns from the long-reigning Wladimir Klitschko in a stunning upset.

Well-publicised personal issues and an anti-doping case have kept Fury out of the ring since then but he resumes his professional career next Saturday against little-known Albanian Sefer Seferi at the Manchester Arena.

The 29-year-old (25-0, 18KOs) remains the lineal heavyweight champion although Joshua has risen to prominence in his British rival’s absence and holds his old belts while Wilder is the WBC titlist.

Fury, though, is supremely confident in his own abilities to the extent that he believes there is no man alive who is able to defeat him, and that he can handle Joshua and Wilder with ease.

He said: “There’s been plenty of come forward aggressors throwing big bombs, there’s been plenty of boxers on the back foot, but when has there ever been a 6ft 9in switch-hitter with the confidence of Muhammad Ali and Floyd Mayweather rolled into one?

“There has never, ever, ever been anybody like me. I’m unbeaten, I’m fast, I’m brash, I’m young, I’m good looking, I can dance, I’ve even got white teeth. What more can I have as a fighter, as a boxer, as a sportsman, as a showman?

“So put me in the ring with these bums and I’ll tell you how to put them down: easy peasy lemon squeezy!

“I am the best that there’s going to be and I don’t believe there’s a man born yet that can beat me.

“Nobody has seen what I can do yet because I’ve not had an opponent take me to that level that I need to go to. The better the opponent you put in front of me, the better I become.”

Ahead of his highly-anticipated comeback, Fury insists he feels better than ever following his lengthy lay-off.

He said: “You’re going to see the best Tyson Fury there’s ever been. I know a lot of people talk a good game when they’ve been (inactive for a long period), they always say they’ve done everything correctly.

Fury intends to box up to four more times in 2018 and thinks he could be challenging for world honours before the year is out.

He added: “It’s 100 per cent possible this year. Don’t rule it out that I don’t take over the world this year and win a world title back.”