Tyson Fury is offically back on the heavyweight scene and back on the warpath too after delivering a brutal assessment of the skills of current heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua.
The 29-year-old Fury has not boxed since becoming the heavyweight champion after defeating Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, and since that night, has been dogged by numerous controversies that led to fears that he would never step into the ring again.
Most worrying was a positive drug test for the banned steroid nandralone in 2016, but after accepting a backdated two-year ban from UKAD last week, he is back in training and eager to reclaim his title.
At the top of his hit-list is the current darling of British boxing Anthony Joshua, who a crowd of over 80,000 watched end the career of Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley in March.
Joshua's charm and affability has won him the hearts of the nation, while his phenomenal power has blitzed through the heavyweight division with 20 knockouts in as many fights earning him the WBA, IBO, and IBF belts.
Fury, though, has little respect for the current champ and stoked further the increasing enmity that exists between both fighters by ridiculing the Londoner's boxing ability.
When asked about how much Joshua has progressed in his absence, Fury delivered a withering response.
"He's still the same, a bit heavier, a few more muscles on him -- that's it really," he said.
"The man can't box -- he's not a boxer, he's a brawler.
"The truth is that he would get his head punched in by anyone who can box and move a bit, simple as that.
"You can never make a cart horse into a race horse," he added. "He isn't built for movement or speed, he's built for power and you can't make a power man a speed man.
"Without speed and movement in heavyweight boxing, you're a limited fighter."
Strong words from the Manchester man and sure not to go unnoticed by Joshua, who recently called on Twitter for "fat f***" Fury to get fit and fight him.
Now, with the self styled ' Gypsy King' refocused and back in the gym while he awaits his boxing licence, Joshua and indeed all fight fans may get their wish as a much anticipated showdown between the two men looms for 2018.
Do YOU want to write for GiveMeSport? Get started today by signing-up and submitting an article HERE: https://www.givemesport.com/writeforgms
