Tyson Fury has embraced a potential clash with David Benavidez, given that he feels the long-awaited Anthony Joshua fight is virtually dead in the water.

It was announced last week that the two Brits will finally collide on December 11, headlining a Netflix and Ring event at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.

Just a few days later, though, The Ring’s Mike Coppinger reported that issues behind the scenes could prevent the heavyweight showdown from taking place.

More specifically, it seems the proposed involvement of Dana White is being challenged by Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn, who claims, according to Joshua’s contract, that there can be no promotional participation from the Zuffa Boxing boss.

It remains to be seen, of course, whether such issues can be ironed out but, at this point, Fury feels as though a fight with three-division world champion Benavidez is more realistic.

‘The Mexican Monster’ became the unified cruiserweight king in May, dethroning Gilberto Ramirez with a vicious sixth-round finish for the WBO and WBA titles.

More recently, he has been linked to a unification match with WBC champion Michal Cieslak on December 12, only for Coppinger to report that he could enter the ring a day earlier.

Speaking with FuriociTV, ‘The Gypsy King’ offered his thoughts on Benavidez as a possible replacement opponent.

“What a fight that would be. The only thing is that, with David Benavidez, he’s about a four to five times harder fight than Joshua.

“I’ll take it because that’s what I do – there’s not a man on this earth that I won’t fight. But never think that Joshua’s a tougher fight than David Benavidez. Benavidez stops Joshua in about three rounds.”

While having never competed at heavyweight, Benavidez could pose Fury problems with his speed and movement, whereas Joshua would offer an entirely different challenge altogether.