David Haye has backed David Price and UFC champion Cain Velasquez to silence Tyson Fury.

The Hayemaker pulls no punches when claiming Price is the nation’s best heavyweight prospect – adding that he would bet everything he owns on Velasquez winning a cross-code clash with the undefeated former British champion.

Fury is targeting a world title shot against WBC champion Vitali Klitschko – but Haye believes the 24-year-old from Wilmslow is still to prove he’s the best in Britain, let alone the world.

“I think David Price is the No.1, ahead of Tyson Fury,” said the ex-WBA king. “The way he handled him comfortably in the amateurs makes me think that and the way Price is dispatching opponents and not getting involved in sloppy 12 rounders.

“Price is head and shoulders above a lot of the other guys. But only time will tell if he realises that potential and becomes world class.”

Fury insists he will fight Price when a world title is on the line. But Haye believes his decision to vacate his British and Commonwealth belts last year was a clear sign that he is avoiding his Liverpool rival.

“The fact that Fury relinquished his titles rather than fight Price shows what the pecking order is,” he said. “If Price and Fury fought each other you would find out how good they are. I think Price stops him. That’s my opinion.

“I’ve spent more time with Price, sparred him and seen him improve. I don’t know too much about Tyson.

“I’ve only seen him fight live once, against John McDermott, and I thought he lost that fight. I can only go by what I’ve seen.

“We saw how Price dispatched McDermott. Maybe that’s not the best way to judge them and maybe Fury has improved a lot.”

Fury is tipped to become Britain’s first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis. He has already won the English, British, Commonwealth and Irish titles in his unbeaten 20-fight career.

His victory in a WBC eliminator against American Kevin Johnson last month has pushed him in with a chance of hijacking Haye’s own hopes of facing Klitschko before the Ukrainian gives up the sport to focus on a career in politics.

While Haye is focused on Klitschko, Fury recently caused a stir when claiming he could beat UFC champion Velasquez.

Haye – who famously wore a T-shirt featuring the severed heads of the Klitschko brothers – can understand the Wilmslow fighter’s attempts to gain publicity.  But he adds that, like Price, Velasquez would have too much for Fury to handle.

“Maybe he’s better at mixed martial arts than boxing, I don’t know,” he said. “But if I was a betting man, I’d bet everything I have that he’d lose.

“I’ve gone right through the bone when it comes to the things I’ve said. It makes me laugh, but it makes some people cringe.

“I was a world champion. Not only champion but WBC, WBA, WBO and Ring cruiserweight champion. That’s when I called people out.

“I knocked out all of my opponents and believed I had the right to call people out. I was world champion.

“Tyson Fury is the Irish champion – if he feels he can call out world champions and the UFC champion then good luck, if that’s how he wants to do it.

“He says he wants to beat the UFC champion – everyone knows it won’t happen and he couldn’t do it, but it’s quite funny.

“He comes across as a quite an intelligent guy when you hear him. He’s getting headlines.

“If you are reading them then it gets his voice out there. If I agree with it is irrelevant. Sometimes people have to say something ludicrous to get headlines.

“Whenever people ask me about Tyson Fury it’s always about something he’s said – not that he’s knocked this guy out. It what he says outside of the ring.

“It can’t do him any harm. I’m not sure what his ticket sales are like, but he’s getting media interest. That’s a good thing to build the Tyson Fury brand.”