Joe Joyce is the WBO Mandatory Challenger and wants to face the winner of Anthony Joshua vs Carlos Takam

Joyce preserved his status with a sixth-round stoppage triumph against Carlos Takam last month and is looking to face the winner out of Joshua’s upcoming bout with Oleksandr Usyk.

“What I want is AJ or Usyk! I don’t need any more tests. I’ve started at the deep end and I’ve carried on at a steady trajectory,” he told BT Sport after his triumph.

Joyce is likely to have to wait for that opportunity, with all eyes cast towards a fiercely-anticipated clash between Fury and Joshua when the pair has completed their upcoming bouts.

The two Brits were scheduled to face off last month but an American court ruled that Deontay Wilder has the right to exercise his rematch clause with Fury, with the trilogy bout set for next month in Las Vegas.

While Fury’s focus will be dominated by his third meeting with the American and a potential future meeting with Joshua, Hatton has warned him not to dismiss Joyce.

“He’s had 12 fights and he’s British, Commonwealth and European champion. There isn’t much he hasn’t done and I think he surprised a lot of people with what he did against Daniel Dubois,” he wrote for Metro.

 “His performance was superb; he’s a nightmare for anyone with that style and that left jab of his. The amount of damage he does when he throws them is huge. Also, his punch resistance is freakish; the shots seem to just bounce off him. We have to give Joe the credit he deserves.

“He will give Joshua and Tyson a load of problems and because of his long amateur spell that is maybe why he has to get a move on a little bit. He was a little later in years turning pro but in fairness he’s not messed about.

“The quality of opposition he has fought has been very good, topping it off with a very dangerous fight against Dubois last time with this one against Takam this weekend. He’s not playing games. You have to say fair play to him.”