Tyson Fury has told Anthony Joshua his boxing career is over and predicted he will lose his rematch against Oleksandr Usyk.
The 'Gypsy King' proposed a step-aside deal to his British rival so that he could pursue a shot at the undisputed crown but talks collapsed and he will now face Dillian Whyte.
Fury will then seek to face the winner of the rematch between Joshua and Usyk later this year for all the belts providing he defends his title successfully.
But the WBC champion has pointed out that Joshua was "outboxed" in his opening fight against Usyk and anticipates he will fail to get past his rival again.
"So do I think he is a great fighter? Hell no," Fury told ESPN. "I think he is a useless bum.
"Then he fought a boxer half his size and a foot shorter than him and got outboxed. He fought a boxer half his weight, a foot shorter than him and got out-boxed.
"He's a useless old bum and won't get past Oleksandr Usyk in his next fight.
"His career's over. If you think going into a boxing fight for the world heavyweight title is not trying to win, yeah I would give him that title.
Joshua lost his unified titles last year against Usyk to end his chances of setting up an undisputed clash with Fury who defeated Deontay Wilder in a historic trilogy bout.
It now appears the rematch will be made after step-aside talks subsided, with Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn claiming talks are virtually "agreed" subject to choice of a venue and a date.
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Fury was set to meet Joshua in a bumper all-British clash in July last year but the £100million bout collapsed with Fury forced to negotiate a third meeting with Wilder.
The pair have spoken of their desire to face each other throughout their rises to the pinnacle of the division, with Fury even suggesting he will retire after he takes a challenge against Joshua.
Frank Warren wants the winner of Joshua's rematch against Usyk to face Fury or Whyte later this year but is unconvinced with the Briton's "attitude" going into the revenge bid.
"I do fancy Usyk in the rematch, I did feel that Joshua's corner got it wrong in the last fight. I don't think they got it right at all," he told Boxing Social.
"I feel Usyk's got his number, I feel Usyk's got an exceptional trainer in old man Lomachenko, he's a bloody good trainer and I think they'll be really up fro this in more ways than one.
"His attitude in that fight, I don't think was good. I don't think he was doing what a big guy should have been doing."