Tyson Fury has branded Anthony Joshua "a classless loser" in a social media tirade ahead of Joshua's fight against YouTuber Jake Paul.
Fury has "indicated" he will return for a long-awaited British heavyweight battle against Joshua next year and the 37-year-old gave a scathing assessment of his British rival, who will share the ring with Paul in Miami on Friday night.
It will be former two-time heavyweight world champion Joshua's first fight since a at Wembley in September 2024.
"He's a 37-year-old at the end of his career fighting a YouTuber, a Disney Channel guy who Tommy (Fury) beat," Fury said of Joshua's showdown with Paul.
"Here's a fun fact. If I ever come across you, I'm knocking you spark out.
"I ain't a YouTuber or a man half your size. I am him. The man.
"You are a classless loser coming off a 15-month knockout defeat to a local lad. Imagine if someone from Morecambe knocked me out. You big bum useless dosser.
"I can't wait if Jake Paul knocks you spark out, you big dosser."
Paul's professional record stands at 12-1, compared to Joshua's 24-4, with some notable fights including his bout with 58-year-old Mike Tyson and Fury's brother Tommy, from which his only loss came.
Since Joshua's absence from the ring, Paul has fought twice, including against Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, winning both by unanimous decision.
Fury's promoter, Frank Warren, confirmed earlier this week that if the "right deal" is offered then a fight against Joshua will happen, with plans for it taking place "sometime in late summer" in 2026.
"There's been some talks going on, there's nothing been signed yet, but Tyson's indicated if it's the right deal, he'll definitely do it," Warren told Your Site News.
"I think it's going in the right direction and hopefully we'll get some news pretty soon as to what's going to happen."
Warren added: "I do believe it will happen."
A fight between two of the best heavyweights in the world, Joshua and Fury, had been awaited for years, with a constant flow of back and forth between the two constantly fuelling the rumours.
