Tyson Fury is still 'interested' in a crossover fight against UFC champion Francis Ngannou - but it will have to wait until after he's dealt with Dillian Whyte.

The WBC heavyweight boxing champion, 32, will defend his title against his fellow Briton after Fury's UK-based promoter Frank Warren won the purse bid for the long-awaited Battle of Britain.

Fury and Ngannou began jawing at one another on social media a few weeks before the latter's successful title defence against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270.

Talks over a possible match-up turned to be nothing other than hot air, but the Gypsy King is still open to making the fight.

However, he insists he will have to wait his turn, as his focus is solely on Whyte at the moment.

Fury told ESPN: "Yeah, he's definitely a machine, that's for sure.

"He’s definitely a good puncher and all that, and let’s face it, it’s not a wrestling match, or no grabbing or anything.

"It’s just a stand-up punching battle with small gloves on. He's got big power, so have I, whoever lands first will get knocked out, so I'd be interested in that.

Boxing - Tyson Fury v Deontay Wilder - WBC Heavyweight Title - T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. - October 9, 2021 Tyson Fury celebrates with the belts after winning the fight against Deontay Wilder REUTERS/Steve Marcus

"But like I say, Dillian Whyte’s a much harder challenge than Francis Ngannou at this moment for me, so I only focus on Dillian Whyte for the next fight, which is to be announced very shortly."

Whyte has released footage on social media showing him hard at work in the gym ahead of possibly the biggest fight of his career.

But Fury has warned his rival it will all amount to nothing - insisting he will 'cut him down like cheese'.

He insisted: "I just think he's an average-looking heavyweight.

"6 ft 3, 245 pounds, slow feet, slow hands, average power.

"Talk about tailor-made for a gifted boxer like myself, I should chop him down like a big oak tree, cut him down like cheese really."

And while Ngannou is evidently a tempting option, Fury admits he doesn't know what the future holds for him despite being linked with clashes against Anthony Joshua, Joe Joyce and Oleksandr Usyk.

He revealed: "We'll just get one fight away at a time.

"I only got one fight at a time, I never look past these opponents, and in this heavyweight division anything can change at the drop of a hat.

"Nothing's every guaranteed until you're in there fighting whoever it is you're going to be boxing so I don't hold my breath.

"In the beginning I used to be dead certain I'm fighting this person, then get to the event and it didn't happen, and I'd be all sad and depressed and down.

"Now I've just learnt to roll with the punches because you can't take these guys on their words at all.

"They say one thing and do another, and they've always got ulterior motives, it seems to me, and until they're finally in there, I don't never count my chickens before they've hatched, that's for sure."