Andy Scott is joined by Barry McGuigan on Ringside Digital Andy Scott is joined by Barry McGuigan on Ringside Digital

Former world champion Barry McGuigan has claimed that David Haye would knock Anthony Joshua "unconscious" if the heavyweight rivals fought now.

Haye (27-2-KO25), is determined to regain a world heavyweight title and ended a three-and-a-half year absence from the ring in January when he blew away Mark de Mori inside a round at a packed O2.

The Londoner is now trained by McGuigan's son, Shane, and the Northern Irishman has been impressed by the 35-year-old's application, seeing only one winner if Haye met Joshua (15-0-KO15) in the near future.

McGuigan told Sky Sports: "David is in tremendous shape. He's worked very hard. He's very serious about coming back. He's trained ridiculously hard. It's different training as a heavyweight.

I looked at Anthony Joshua and he's also a spectacular talent but there are a lot of mistakes there, a lot of fundamental flaws with his defence. Barry McGuigan

"You have to have the adaptability to do that and Shane is very unique in the sense that he always seems to extricate the best out of people. He's good on advice, tactics and on the pads. It's great to see him work with all these guys.

"The energy going through David's shoulders is pretty traumatic but it's great because he's responding, doing new things and is in great condition. He's one dangerous man.

"I looked at Anthony Joshua and he's also a spectacular talent but there are a lot of mistakes there, a lot of fundamental flaws with his defence. They've got to get that right because if he fights David Haye, David will knock him unconscious with that right hand.

Tony Sims admitted that Anthony Joshua needs to calm down Tony Sims admitted that Anthony Joshua needs to calm down

"He [Haye] is such a dangerous puncher. All he needs is half a second and the fight is over. It's a very dangerous fight for Joshua right now. I think Haye will win a world title, then there could be a series of unification fights with Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder and Charles Martin.

"I think it's wide open. They're all looking at Britain and it's a very exciting time. When you have the heavyweight division alive, it's the shop window of our sport. We've got the heavyweight champion of the world and potentially another couple of guys who will do that as well."

Haye recently announced his next fight will be on May 21 - again at The O2 - with names such as Malik Scott, Andrey Fedosov and Bryant Jennings in the mix.