British boxing legend Ricky Hatton claims that Tyson Fury deserves all the praise and recognition as the best heavyweight boxer on the planet.

The former two-weight world champion has had his say on the two British heavyweight names fighting in the sport at the moment, Anthony Joshua and Fury.

Hatton has been in Fury’s corner for the ‘Gypsy King’s’ comeback and was in attendance in his most recent victory over German Tom Schwarz in June.

Once again, Hatton was impressed by how Fury performed on the night as the undefeated boxer halted Schwarz in two rounds on his Las Vegas debut.

“It couldn’t have been any better to be honest,” Hatton exclusively told talkSPORT.com.

“He didn’t beat a world beater, he didn’t beat one of the top men in the division, but he did beat an unbeaten world class heavyweight in two rounds.

“He never laid a glove on him. He picked him off and then beat him up.

“Tyson’s known for his boxing ability, his defence and his movement, but you saw the nasty side that he’s got in his make up as well.”

Hatton again underlined that the British boxer is improving after each fight and now deserves to be on top as being the best heavyweight in the world.

“He’s improved since the Wilder fight, he’s getting better and better.

“I think he deserves to be recognised as the best heavyweight.

“He might not have the belts, but I think anyone or any governing body would sit there and say he’s the man at the minute.”

Fury’s victory against Schwarz keeps him undefeated, but Anthony Joshua lost his first professional fight against Andy Ruiz Jr two weeks earlier.

Joshua was also making his US debut, but wasn’t successful as he was stopped in the seventh round.

The heavyweight division remains wide open as the Mexican claimed all of Joshua’s heavyweight belts including the WBA, IBF and WBO titles with many, including Hatton, still struggling to get their heads around.

“There’s loads of rumours knocking about...

“When a defeat comes up for one of our top fighters we always try and find out the reasons to try and get to the bottom of it.

“He didn’t look quite right before the fight for me.

“He was boxing okay, he knocked him down, but then I think he went in for the kill. Mexicans are just as dangerous when they’re hurt.”

The ‘Hitman’ believes that Joshua would have overcome his rival ‘nine times out of ten’ if he was in the right frame of mind, but suggests only his team truly know what happened.

Following his defeat, AJ quickly declared their intentions to rematch Ruiz in either the US or the UK and win back the belts, whereas Fury is expecting a fight before the end of year and is hopeful of locking fists with Deontay Wilder in a rematch in 2020.