Tyson Fury may have been away from the ring since February but he has certainly not lost any confidence in that time.

The WBC heavyweight champion was recently asked by SPORTbible who the four greatest boxers of his era were. His answer was simple.

"I'd say myself: one, two, three and four - and then whoever else afterwards. No one comes close; no one comes close to the Gypsy King."

Fury's claim may be a controversial one in the eyes of some fans. Pound-for-pound great Floyd Mayweather retired undefeated just three years ago, and Manny Pacquiao is still fighting as he approaches his 42nd birthday.

Yet Fury remains unconvinced by the pound-for-pound concept, and explained why he is head and shoulders above legends from lower weight classes.

"Well pound-for-pound, I believe is a load of pound-for-pound bulls**t, because it's not real.

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"If everybody had wings, would they be able to outfly an eagle? It's just like saying that.

"Everyone's not the same size. And they never will be. So you can never say: would Floyd Mayweather beat Lennox Lewis? It's not gonna happen!" he added.

The 32-year-old may get the chance to prove his greatness in 2021. Pundits and fans are clamouring for a showdown with Anthony Joshua to take place.

That fight appears likely following Fury's only win of this year when he dispatched Deontay Wilder inside seven rounds.

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Since that victory, Fury has been accused of foul play by his opponent. The current champion understands why Wilder is angry at losing for the first time, but has labelled his reaction as "stupid" and called on his former foe to seek help.

"My advice to him would be to seek medical advice immediately. Because, nearly a year after being beat, he's still banging on about the same stuff. It's damaging to his career and his reputation, his own mental wellbeing."

Looking ahead, Fury hopes that he can face Joshua in the new year. He has predicted that his fellow Brit will suffer a similar fate to Wilder.

He said: "I think it goes down pretty quick, because he's coming to fight, I'm coming to fight... So it'll be quick and sharp. Gonna put it on him in the first round and hopefully get him out of there: first, second, third, fourth - however long it takes."