John Fury, father of Tyson Fury, said he hopes his son’s fight against Anthony Joshua never takes place, fearing the damage it could do to the loser.

Fury Sr spoke in the BBC Sport series Rivals, in an episode titled Rivals: Fury v Joshua.

He was interviewed shortly before the fight was announced for the Principality Stadium, Cardiff, on December 11.

“I hope it never happens. They will get that much stick; the loser will not be able to cope with it.

“Even though these two guys are not at their best, they have still got a lot of power, and they could still hurt each other, you know. And you just do not want to see either man walk around after being greats, for people to laugh at, really,” John Fury said.

Promoter Eddie Hearn took a different view, calling the bout one of the biggest sporting events Britain has ever seen.

“Both these guys have played a huge part in changing the sport forever in this country. This is one of the biggest sporting events, if not the biggest, sporting event Britain has ever seen,” Hearn said.

The documentary follows the paths of Joshua, who rose from Olympic champion to global star, and Fury, who went from self-styled outsider to heavyweight king. It also features Frank Warren, Natasha Jonas, Tony Bellew and Steve Bunce.

Rivals: Fury v Joshua will be available on BBC iPlayer from Tuesday, November 10.