Despite shedding more than eight stones to get himself back into fighting shape, Tyson Fury will carry a significant advantage into his comeback bout against Albanian Sefer Seferi in Manchester.

Fury weighed in at 19st 10lbs at a good-natured weigh-in on Friday, making him a full four stones and nine pounds heavier than Seferi, whom he whisked off his feet and cradled in his arms as if to labour the point.

His weight makes Fury more than two stones heavier that he was for his last fight against Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015, in which he won the world heavyweight title before his career threatened to spiral out of control.

Fury was stripped of his boxing licence as he fought a ban over a failed drugs test, while his much-publicised battle against depression contributed to a weight gain which led to doubts over his boxing future.

The 29-year-old is adamant his evident success in shaping up for a ring return will increase his popularity levels and, more importantly, serve as an inspiration for others who may be going through similar health issues.

Fury said: "I've had massive support throughout all my troubles, everybody's really been helping me and spurring me on.

"This isn't just me and my team, it's me and the whole nation. I seem to have everyone behind me and I'm coming back and fighting for them.

"I'm fighting for people who need inspiration and help – people who suffer from mental health problems as well.

"It's living proof if I can do it, then anyone can do it. To come from 27 and a half stone and to get to fighting level for Saturday night, then that is a statement, isn't it."

Eddie Hearn, meanwhile, expects Anthony Joshua's proposed fight against Alexander Povetkin to be "finalised in the next 72 hours", but has warned that an agreement for the superfight with Deontay Wilder could still be a month away.

The promoter has also revealed that Ireland's Katie Taylor plans to fight on the undercard of the July 28 heavyweight fight between Dillian Whyte and Joseph Parker, despite her father being shot and admitted to hospital.

Russia's Povetkin, the mandatory challenger to Joshua's WBA heavyweight title, is preparing for a fight in the UK in September.

Should a date be secured it will come with an agreement for WBC champion Wilder to then come to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium in February to fight for all four heavyweight titles in what would prove the most significant match-up in the world.

"The Povetkin deal will be finalised in the next 72 hours," Hearn said. "The Povetkin deal is virtually done. The Wilder one is not, but we're talking every day.

"Joshua would like to fight in September. The Wilder fight doesn't really work in September, mainly because of the Canelo (Saul Alvarez) fight. The pay-per-view doesn't really work out.

"If he fights Wilder (first) it'll be October, November in the UK, and if he fights Povetkin it'll be in September. If it's Povetkin next, the Wilder fight will definitely be signed before we go into that fight."