Tyson Fury claims he would beat a prime Mike Tyson and lists himself as No1 heavyweight ‘in the last thousand years’.

The Gypsy King could be crowned the undisputed champion if he beats fellow Brit Anthony Joshua next year.

And while Fury believes that it is just a matter of time before he gets his hands on all four belts, he thinks no legendary fighter could have stood in his way.

The 31-year-old was asked specifically on whether he would have relished a scrap against Iron Mike.

Tyson is expected to announce a sensational return to the ring in an exhibition scrap at the age of 53.

It comes 33 years after Tyson announced himself as a legend in the ring after being crowned the youngest ever heavyweight champion.

And when asked who would win between the pair, Fury told Steve Bunce on BT Sport: “There isn’t a heavyweight from any era in the last a thousand years that could’ve tackled me or beat me.

“Never mind Mike Tyson from the 80s, Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Lennox Lewis, George Foreman, Ken Norton, Rocky Marciano, Floyd Patterson, Gene Tunney, Jem Mace, John L. Sullivan.

I’m the greatest fighter that has ever lived.

“Going right back to the beginning, not one of them could’ve beaten the Gypsy King. I’m too big, I’m too good and I’ve got too many styles for them. I’m an adapter and they couldn’t even beat me anyway.

“I’m the greatest fighter that has ever lived. Never mind heavyweight, greatest fighter that’s ever lived. How about that for a bit of modesty?!”

Fury still has to fulfill his contractual demands to fight Deontay Wilder for a third and final time before the all-important Battle of Britain with AJ.

But promoter Eddie Hearn admitted that Fury may also need to scrap mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte.

He told Boxing Social: “We don’t want the WBC to make Fury ‘franchise’ champion.

“Let him take care of his mandatory just like Joshua’s taking care of his…

“We don’t want to be elevated from ‘interim’ champ. He wants to fight the champion, he wants to fight Fury.

“Dillian Whyte actually has to take priority, in my opinion, over Anthony Joshua, to get that shot. We will do everything we can to deliver that.”