TYSON FURY insists a historic Battle of Britain with Anthony Joshua is "dead" in the water until his rival proves himself worthy of another world title shot.
The Gypsy King has twice been close to locking horns with his Brit rival but the mouthwatering showdown has, so far, failed to come to fruition.
British boxing fans are still eager for the pair to settle their feud, although Fury currently has no interest in the once-in-a-lifetime domestic dust-up.
The WBC heavyweight champ, 35, told The Daily Mail: "I don't really care what he says. He's a bum in my opinion.
"He's just one big bum-dosser that has been knocked out three times.
"He's been knocked out twice and had three losses. He can't even compare in my league any more.
READ MORE IN BOXING
Kate Garraway looks horrified & left ‘disturbed’ by Tommy Fury’s sick warning
Get £30 in FREE BETS when you place any amount on any sports market with Sky Bet
"It's not even a fight I am thinking about any more. I'm not even interested."
Fury and Joshua were on course to take part in a two-fight series before Deontay Wilder won his arbitration for a trilogy fight with the former.
AJ went on to suffer back-to-back defeats to unified heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk after the fight collapsed.
Fury said of the Watford warrior's recent woes: "That bubble has been burst.
Most read in Boxing
DAN’S THE MAN
AJ offered shock fight with Brit rival as Wilder bout hangs in the balance
‘QUIET STORM’
I’m a deaf boxer – I was teased by bullies but I’ll be a champ with Jake Paul
HEAVEN SENT
Apollonia Llewellyn stuns in see-through dress as fans hail ‘heavenly’ pics
RIP DIEGO
Boxing coach Diego Arrua dead after suffering heart attack in wife’s title fight
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
"His virginity has been taken away so it's not interesting for me any more.
"He's been spanked by Usyk twice and been beaten by a fat man.
"So it's not in my interest to beat him."
Fury has held up the division by taking a controversial crossover clash with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, who he meets in Saudi Arabia on October 28.
And he insists the Predator poses more of a threat than AJ ever would, saying: "I am fighting a guy who is in his prime, who is a champion.
"Who is bigger than him, who is stronger than him and who is a bigger knockout puncher than him.
"He needs to get to the back of the queue. That fight is gone, it's dead.
"That fight was off the cards as soon as he got beaten."
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The 6 best chocolate bars if you’re trying to lose weight – and the 3 to avoid
Love Island favourite reveals huge new career change away from reality TV
Joshua, 33, is currently eyeing a long-overdue grudge match with Wilder after bouncing back from consecutive defeats to Usyk.
The fight was expected to take place in January but AJ promoter Eddie Hearn is frantically trying to find a new site for the bout after Saudi Arabia withdrew their interest.
Source: Read Full Article