Tyson Fury vows to stop Anthony Joshua inside eight rounds despite suspension from boxing

Fury is determined that the British showdown take place in 2018

Fury has vowed to stop Joshua inside eight rounds. (Getty Images / Oliver Hardt / Stringer)

Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has vowed on Twitter that he will beat British rival Anthony Joshua within eight rounds despite not having boxed for nearly two years.

Fury ended Wladimir Klitschko's world heavyweight title reign in November 2015 but has since lost his boxing licence after admitting to using cocaine and struggling with depression.

The 29-year-old is still waiting to hear from UK Anti-Doping after being charged with "the presence of a prohibited substance" before his boxing future can be resolved.

Yet Fury has taken to Twitter promising a fight with Joshua, confident he would emerge victorious though none of the 19 boxers who have so far face Joshua have made it to the final bell.

Fury appeared to shelve his on-off retirement plans earlier this month when he claimed to be shooting for the title once again with "3 big fights in 2018".

Joshua, who now holds three titles that once belonged to Fury, is also hoping for a fight.

"It's Anthony Joshua versus the world right now, I have got to fight them all!" Joshua told Sky Sports. "Eddie [Hearn] is right, as a promoter it works well for him, it works well for me and I think it works well for people who want to watch me and Tyson Fury get it on."

He continued: "Eddie has been on the phone to Tyson, trying to make things happen and support his cause. This is a fight, down the line, that might happen."

Whether Fury, who says he now weighs 25 stone, could get himself into shape for a fight remains to be seen.

Joshua defended his IBF and WBA heavyweight titles with a tenth-round TKO win over Carlos Takam on Saturday.