Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury fight 'biggest in British boxing history', says Saunders after Hearn admission

A fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury would be the "biggest in British boxing history" according to WBO middleweight champion Billie Joe Saunders, who thinks 'The Gypsy King' is still the man to beat in the heavyweight division.

'AJ' and Fury's proposed match-up is not currently being negotiated but Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn believes a fight between the pair simply "has to happen", though he stressed that a prospective bout will entirely depend on "the deal and situation".

Saunders, who will defend his WBO title against Martin Murray at the 02 Arena in April, is one of millions desperate to see Fury and Joshua go toe-to-toe in the ring in the not-too-distant future and thinks the former's brash personality could sway members of the WBA, IBF and IBO champion's fanbase, though he is unsure if a fight will ever come to fruition.

"In my opinion it's probably the biggest fight in British boxing history," Saunders told iFL TV.

"You've got Tyson, look what he brings, the character he is, then there's AJ, laid-back, everyone loves him. Tyson can turn AJ's lovers into haters, he gets under people's skin and he's very good at it.

"It'd be a very good fight, two heavyweights, AJ punches like a mule, Tyson is like elastic and can punch as well. It's a very good match-up, but the only thing is, are we going to see that?"

Fury has not been involved in boxing since shocking Wladimir Klitschko in Germany over two years ago and narrowly escaped a potentially career-ending ban from UK Anti-Doping in December, when he accepted two-year backdated suspension. But despite his inactivity, Saunders, who has won all 26 of his professional career bouts, believes the controversial 29-year-old can still take pride of place at the pinnacle of the heavyweight division as he did not directly lose his titles to another opponent

"At the moment, the man still, even though's he's been inactive and not boxed, is Tyson Fury," Saunders said. "He hasn't been beaten in the ring and the only way a man loses his title is if he is legitimately beaten."