Few men are better placed to assess the crop of heavyweights coming through than WBC king Tyson Fury.
Widely regarded as the premier heavyweight on the planet, Fury currently sits atop the division with a contracted trilogy fight against Deontay Wilder and two-fight series with unified champion Anthony Joshua in the pipeline.
But the Mancunian is also keeping a close eye on the next wave of heavyweight hopes. Two emerging contenders are Joe Joyce and Daniel Dubois, who are currently scheduled to meet on October 24 at the O2 Arena.
Fury assessed the potential of both men in conversation with ESPN’s Max Kellerman, where ‘The Gypsy King’ professed to be a big admirer of Joyce’s sheer strength and relentless style.
“I like Joe. He’s a very big, strong guy, very athletic for his size,” Fury told Kellerman. “He’s an Olympic silver medallist, he’s as tough as old boots and he’s got an engine like he’s running on two V12s. He just keeps coming all night.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Joe in camp when I was training for Wilder the first time.
“So, I know how big and strong he is. He’s technically not the most polished, but he makes up for that with determination, brute force and strength.
“His nickname is the ‘Juggernaut’ and I have to back him up on that. If you stand in his way, he will run you down like an 18-wheeler, that’s for sure.”
Fury also had praise for rising star Dubois, but insisted the 23-year-old can afford to take his time in a division of older, more experienced men.
“[Dubois] can punch, he’s big, so he’s everything that you want form an up-and-coming future heavyweight champion of the world,” added Fury. “The only thing we need to do with Daniel Dubois is develop him, not rush him, and get him the right fights at the right time.”