Tyson Fury takes aim at Anthony Joshua as Wladimir Klitschko rematch is confirmed

Fury, the WBA and WBO heavyweight champion, defeated Klitschko on points in Germany last November and will go up against the Ukrainian again on July 9 at the Manchester Arena.

Anticipation is also growing around a potential all-British unification fight with Joshua, who clinched the IBF title on Saturday after beating Charles Martin at London’s O2 Arena.

The Morecambe giant called out Joshua immediately after the victory, labelling him “slow” and “ponderous” on Twitter, and he continued his war of words with the London 2012 gold medallist at a press conference on Wednesday.

Fury said: “I thought he looked like a pumped up weightlifter, out of his mind on drugs.

“He fought an American who came to lay down and had about as much fight in him as this glass of water there, zero.

“The British public is thrilled by bums.

“The fight I have to worry about is Wlad because he is 10 times the man of any of them world champions. You don’t hold a belt for 10 years if you’re no good.

“It’s no good talking about these bums until I get past him. Providing I do that I’ll fight all of them. I’ll take on the British first because they’re the easiest. I’ll leave the Americans until afterwards.”

Fury’s team had looked into staging the rematch against Klitschko at a football stadium, including Old Trafford, but the date was too close to the end of the Premier League season.

Fighting on home turf, however, gives Fury a significant advantage and he is confident he will see off Klitschko again.

The former British and Commonwealth champion said: “If he doesn’t do something different he is on for another hiding.

“He has to come and try and fight. He couldn’t fight me first time with his A-game so he won’t on his second.

“It wasn’t very important for the fight to be in Manchester but it was very important that I wasn’t going back to Germany.

“I wouldn’t go back, end of. I wouldn’t get a decision. It’s in England. Wherever it was I wasn’t bothered.

“As I am the gypsy king I don’t have a hometown. Wherever I want to go is my hometown.”

Towards the end of another lively press conference, Fury’s father John took the microphone to accuse the British public and press of “racism” and disrespect towards his son.

John Fury said: “He’s got about as much respect for you lot as you have for him.

“He’s’ the best heavyweight in the world. If I had Anthony Joshua I’d wrap him up in cotton wool. He’s laying golden eggs at the moment because give the public a con job and they’ll get right behind it.

“Tyson Fury is the best thing ever to come off these shores and has he got any respect? Where’s my son? Nowhere. Do you know why? Because it’s racism.

“He’s from the wrong background. If he was out of Peckham estate he would be having tea with the Queen-mother and being took round in an open-top bus.”