TYSON FURY is NOT the best heavyweight in the world right now, according to his own sparring partner.
Fury returns tonight in a trilogy bout against Derek Chisora, the man he compressively beat in 2011 and 2014, defending his WBC crown.
A win for the Gypsy King all-but confirms an undisputed super-fight with Oleksandr Usyk, 35, next year.
And in preparation for the fight at Tottenham’s stadium, he recruited unbeaten Croatian Alan Babic, 32, for sparring.
Babic is managed by Dillian Whyte who was knocked out by Fury, also 34, in April.
But it is not his boss Whyte, 34, Usyk, 35, or the WBC champion himself who he rates as the best in the world.
Fury vs Chisora 3: Date, live stream and TV info for huge heavyweight bout
It is instead “dark horse” Joe Joyce, 37, currently the unbeaten WBO mandatory challenger.
Babic told Boxing Betting: “I think Fury is going to win it.
“There’s no stopping Tyson Fury. Fury is calling out Joe Joyce – how crazy is that?
“In my humble opinion Joe Joyce is the dark horse in the heavyweight division and the best heavyweight on the planet right now.
“I’ve sparred with Joyce and rate him very highly. And this Gypsy King is calling Joe Joyce out – he’s the only one.
“Nobody calls out Joe Joyce. That mentality of Fury is unbeatable.”
Babic has been bashing Fury into shape with rounds in the champion’s Morecambe gym.
And he warned Chisora – from personal experience – it will take a ton to keep the WBC king down.
He said: “Chisora is dangerous for any human alive. I’m a big fan of Chisora and a big fan of Fury.
“These are two guys that I love. Chisora has those wide-looping hands, wide-looping crosses.
“Chisora’s a very dangerous guy and if he catches him clean he’s going to put him down. But Fury will rise.
“He may put him down, I don’t count that out, but Fury will rise again. Fury will keep rising like he did with Deontay Wilder.”
