Khan: "We have to say he is the no 1 heavyweight in the world"
Monday 24 February 2020 13:41, UK
Amir Khan has hailed Tyson Fury as the world's No 1 heavyweight and would favour the new WBC champion to defeat unified title-holder Anthony Joshua.
Fury ripped the WBC belt from Deontay Wilder with a sensational seventh-round stoppage win in Las Vegas at the weekend to join fellow Brit Joshua as a world champion in the top division.
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has insisted he will do "everything that it takes" to make an undisputed title fight, but former world champion Khan edged towards Fury, when asked to pick a winner.
"We have to say he is the No 1 heavyweight in the world," Khan told Sky Sports News. "We know he only holds the WBC title. You've got AJ who has the other world titles.
"I just feel this is amazing for British boxing, to have all the world titles in England. A clash between them two will be huge, if that ever happened.
I think Fury is the full complete fighter.
"But I think overall, Tyson Fury's performance was amazing. He did everything, he stuck to the game-plan, was very smart in there, and he made it look very, very easy."
Asked for a Joshua-Fury prediction, Khan said: "You've put me on the spot there. If I was to pick someone, I do lean a little bit more towards Fury.
"I think Fury is the full complete fighter. He is a good boxer, he can fight. As we saw in the last fight, he's the one that put Wilder down with the power. I never used to think he had that much power as a heavyweight, but I think he proved it in the last fight.
"Coming forward on the front foot, he boxes really well as well, so I do favour him a little bit more."
Khan has himself been continually linked with a big domestic clash with Kell Brook, only for negotiations to repeatedly break down.
The Sheffield man issued a fresh call for a showdown with Khan after his recent comeback win over Mark DeLuca and his rival remains open to a British battle.
Khan said: "That's another fight that is out there for me, just like people are talking about the Fury and AJ fight. Mine and Brook's fight has been talked about for a very, very long time, but it just never seems to materialise.
"I leave it to the promoters, they have a sit down, if everything goes well, and then everything falls right through.
"I think this is the final year. If it doesn't happen this year, I don't think it's ever going to happen, but I would want it to happen. I am in talks with Eddie and I'd love to sit down with them."
