Tyson Fury Says He'd Rather Fight Cousin Hughie Than David Haye

New heavyweight WBA, WBO and IBF champion Tyson Fury has claimed he would rather fight his cousin, Hughie Fury, than David Haye after the latter recently announced his return to boxing.

Fury, who beat Wladimir Klitschko to become the world heavyweight champion on Saturday, told Press Association Sport (h/t the Daily Mail):

"

Let me put it this way: I would rather make a voluntary defence, for all those titles, against Hughie Fury, than David Haye.

That's saying something, isn't it? Because Hughie is my first cousin. 

But I'd rather give Hughie a shot than David Haye. How's that? 

Hughie would give me a much better fight than Haye, because at least he'd throw some punches back.

"

Fury and Haye were twice due to fight in 2013, but the latter was forced to pull out both times due to injury.

Tom Hevezi/Associated Press

Haye—who has not fought since 2012—responded to the jibe by claiming Fury "knows that my style would absolutely murder his style," per BBC Sport. He added:

"

He has to realise I'm not after him, I'm after what he has—the belts.

It says a lot about a new champion that he's saying he won't fight the man who would generate the most amount of interest and money, and would be the biggest possible fight on the planet for him.

"

After his stunning win over Klitschko—who himself comfortably beat Haye by unanimous decision in 2011—Fury's reluctance to face the 35-year-old after three years out is fairly understandable.

Until Haye proves he can still fight at the level that made him WBA heavyweight champion in his prime, he hasn't yet earned the right to face Fury after he cemented his place at the top of the sport.

The pair's war of words will only serve to stoke the fires should they ever meet in the ring and increase the anticipation for the bout, but Haye is some way off from Fury viewing him as a worthy opponent at this moment in time.