Tyson Fury: David Haye on why even the greatest ever heavyweights would struggle against Brit

Fury takes on Swedish southpaw Otto Wallin at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night

David Haye believes British heavyweight Tyson Fury is already on the path to greatness and would have even been a puzzle for boxing icons like Muhammad Ali and Jack Dempsey.

Fury takes on Swedish southpaw Otto Wallin at the T-Mobile Arena here in Las Vegas on Saturday night in what is his second consecutive outing in Sin City.

The 6ft 9in traveller knows victory over underdog Wallin is likely to secure a rematch with Deontay Wilder in the early part of next year and he has vowed to put on a show on Mexican Independence weekend.

Now Haye, who twice pulled out of scheduled fights with Fury, has discussed the Gypsy King's standing in the wider context of heavyweight boxing and believes his style would hold him in good stead in any era.

“He would be a hard night for the greatest heavyweights,” said Haye, who is in Vegas on commentary duty for BT Sport. “Very few people would find it easy to fight someone so elusive, just ask Deontay Wilder.

“Someone as big, awkward, ungainly, unpredictable, it's not an easy guy to make a game plan for. It really isn't. Particularly because he hasn't shown any weaknesses.

“He has shown he has a chin against one of the hardest punches ever as Wilder hit him with a huge shot twice. A right hand, then on the way down a left hook which should have well and truly put him to sleep.

“He has proven he has a world class chin. He is ticking a lot of the boxes. I feel that he is young enough to really make a legacy. He can go on – if he continues to win these big fights – he can go down as one of the greats.

“The fact he has already beaten Wladimir Klitschko, the fact he has beaten pretty much every man he has faced means he is going down that route.

“He has done everything humanly possibly other than getting the win against Deontay Wilder but Lennox lewis got a draw aganst Evander Holyfield and that hasn't harmed his legacy – most people put him top five or three of all-time. I think he is in the middle of his career.

“I think he has seven or eight years of good fights ahead and I definitely feel you cannot judge a fighter on his greatness compared to other retired fighters whilst they're still active.”

But Haye warned Fury not to take the challenge of 6ft 6in underdog Wallin too lightly just three months after the Brit demolished Tom Schwarz inside two rounds.

“Hopefully Otto will ask a few more questions than Schwarz,” Haye added. “The fact he is a southpaw and undefeated maybe he will.

“I haven't scrutinised his record but there are no names there that really stand out. But that doesn't mean he hasn't fought anyone. “Just because someone has a record that doesn't jump out at you doesn't mean they're not good. A lot of people make the mistake of saying 'I've never heard of him so he's no good'.

“They said the same about Andy Ruiz, 'Who is he? Look at the state of him and we were all proved wrong and eating humble pie'. I never write off a heavyweight.

“Anyone who is 6ft 6in, long reach, undefeated record he's a threat.”

Tyson Fury takes on Otto Wallin live on BT Sport Box Office this Saturday. The fight can be watched through BT Sport Box Office on BT TV, Virgin TV, Sky, online via the web or the BT Sport Box Office App