Tyson Fury has branded Anthony Joshua "classless" after he said he could kill Jake Paul on Friday.

Joshua will take on Paul in a professionally-sanctioned heavyweight bout in Miami despite the yawning gulf in experience and ability. Both men will earn around £70million for the showdown which will go on their records.

But Joshua caused anger by claiming he could kill the YouTuber if he wanted. "It's not even that it's Jake," he said. "It's just... I was actually looking at myself - and I'm a very respectful guy brought up by a good family - but if I can kill you, I will kill you.

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"That's just how I am and this is just the job I do. Boxing's not such a fun sport; you can't play boxing. So it's not so fun if I'm honest, but it was just a great opportunity to get back in the ring and get back to big time business."

Fury, who is expected to return from his retirement next spring before a September showdown with Joshua, then took to social media to vent his anger at his fellow countryman.

“I’ve just been sent a video of Anthony Joshua talking about, ‘If he kills somebody, he’d kill somebody in a boxing ring'," he said. “I think he’s a little bit long in the tooth to be talking s***e like that. He’s 37 years old, at the end of his career fighting a YouTuber, a Disney Channel guy who [Tyson's brother] Tommy beat.

“And now he’s talking about killing him and all that to try and sell the fight. He's barking up the wrong tree, idiot. Here’s a fun fact, if I ever come across you, bum, I’m knocking you dead spark out. I ain’t a YouTuber or a man half your size, I am him, the man.

“You’re a classless loser, coming off a 15-month knockout defeat to a local lad. Imagine if someone from Morecambe knocked me out. You big bum, useless dosser. And I can’t wait if Jake Paul knocks you spark out you big bum."

Joshua had earlier called on Fury to agree terms for them to finally meet following a decade-long rivalry. "I've spoken to Tyson before and I actually signed to fight him," he said.

"It was around the time I put my belts up to fight Oleksansdr Usyk, but I was supposed to fight Fury and then he had his issues with Wilder, so they fought a third time. So I've been in a position to fight Fury a number of times.

"Of course there's hope, especially when you're talking about doing big-time boxing, and Jake's showcasing it can be done and I'm showcasing it can be done. We've been in mega-fights time and time again; this isn't our first rodeo. I just feel like it takes two to tango and I'm on the dance floor. I'm just looking for a dance partner."