WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury should "chuck the belt in the bin" to avoid fighting Deontay Wilder and face Anthony Joshua instead, according to his father.
Fury, 32, was set for a unification bout with Joshua in Saudi Arabia on August 14 in what would have been unquestionably the biggest bout in British heavyweight history.
A US judge threw a spanner in the works earlier this month though when he ordered that Fury must face Wilder in a trilogy fight before September 15.
"I've told him, in a phone conversation, to chuck the belt in the bin," John Fury told BT Sport.
"Let them have it, come back and fight AJ on the 14 August like was planned. But I'm nobody unfortunately so it falls on deaf ears."
Joshua (24-1) was set to put his IBF, WBO and WBA titles on the line against WBC belt-holder Fury in August in the first of two fights announced by the pair earlier this year. The blockbuster bout would have seen the pair contest all four heavyweight world titles for the first time in the sport's history.
Fury, undefeated in 31 professional bouts, became a two-time world champion when he scored a sensational seventh-round stoppage over Wilder in Las Vegas 15 months ago. The first fight, in December 2018, had ended in a draw.
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Anthony Joshua lands a punch on Kubrat Pulev during the British fighter's victory at Wembley Arena in December 2020. -
Anthony Joshua celebrates winning his fight against Bulgarian fighter Kubrat Pulev. -
nthony Joshua celebrates winning his fight. Reuters -
Anthony Joshua celebrates his victory. -
Pulev feels the power of Joshua's punch. -
Anthony Joshua, left, throws a punch at challenger Pulev. -
Joshua celebrates after beating challenger Kubrat Pulev at Wembley Arena. -
Joshua goes on the attack. -
Joshua looks across as challenger Pulev takes a standing count. -
Anthony Joshua in action against Kubrat Pulev.
John Fury fears the rushed nature of the rematch - the third fight is slated for Las Vegas on July 24 - with Wilder (42-1-1) could derail his son's chances of winning a third fight.
"For my money, it's a mistake," he added. "Anything rushed is no good and that's been rushed. He was fighting AJ, I want him to fight AJ, I've no interest in Deontay Wilder, so why's he going to fight Wilder?
"I'm just concerned whether Tyson can raise his game for Wilder, whether he gets complacent, makes a mistake. It's got every chance of going wrong out there because I don't like how it's been handled."
Fury claimed last week that Wilder had requested $20 million to "move over" and allow the Joshua bout to go ahead.
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn and Fury's US promoter Bob Arum have declared their intention to reschedule the undisputed world title fight in December.
