When Anthony Joshua met Tyson Fury

anthony joshua fight

IT started with a Rolex. Anthony Joshua had only just taken up the sport, hadnโ€™t heard of Tyson Fury before, but he was sparring the young heavyweight to win the watch.

โ€œI just thought thereโ€™s this big guy, heโ€™s from Manchester and my coach said he said anyone who knocks him out gets his Rolex. He put it in the Boxing News. My coach said, โ€˜If you want that Rolex, take it to him,โ€™โ€ he recalled. โ€œWe went to war.

โ€œIt wasnโ€™t really a technical thing โ€“ holding with one hand, trying to hit me, low blowing. I was an amateur. This was about 2009. I wasnโ€™t on GB, I was really inexperienced back then โ€“ I had my first fight November 2008, I was really inexperienced. We just got into a war. I didnโ€™t even know who he was. I didnโ€™t get into boxing [until 2008].โ€

Now Fury is preparing to challenge the world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko. Joshua went on to win the super-heavyweight gold medal at London 2012 and is one of Britainโ€™s brightest professional prospects. But Anthony wouldnโ€™t mind having another crack at winning that watch. โ€œIโ€™ve got the G-shock on, I need that Rolly,โ€ he says.

โ€œFuryโ€™s someone thatโ€™s been mentioned since I was three fights in [to his pro career]. Itโ€™s a relevant fight. You know boxing, as long as thereโ€™s interest sooner or later these fights happen. I think thatโ€™s a real realistic fight. Klitschko is at the end of his career and [I see myself] not as a competitor, more someone who will come up and take over. But Fury for sure, if he wins, heโ€™s got every puncherโ€™s chance, I think thatโ€™ll be good for the division over here.โ€

โ€œIโ€™m still going to get that belt. I just like Klitschko. Fury, I donโ€™t know what heโ€™s like,โ€ he continued. โ€œWeโ€™re not really on the same level [in terms of] personality. Weโ€™re not the same type of people.โ€

โ€œThat was a good little indication of what was to come. Fury was good for me at the time, it was really good for me to spar,โ€ he added. Joshua has, more recently, sparred Wladimir Klitschko as well. It means he has an insiderโ€™s view of their upcoming heavyweight title clash. โ€œIf Klitschko can adapt to your style, because in boxing styles make fights, and a good fighter can change your whole gameplan. So Klitschko, from the spar I had with Fury, which was war, the spar I had with Klitschko was more looking, looking, bang. It depends whose style is more dominant. If Furyโ€™s style is more dominant, it will be a really interesting fight. Someone will get knocked out quick.

โ€œI think if you get the Fury, the reckless guy who comes to fight, thatโ€™ll be a real good fight. I donโ€™t write him off at all.โ€

Joshua has a couple of high profile fights of his own to prepare for. On September 12 he boxes Gary Cornish for his first major belt, the Commonwealth title. If he wins that should lead him on to British title fight with Dillian Whyte, who holds an amateur win over Joshua. The Olympic gold medallist hopes to continue sparring with Klitschko as he gets ready. โ€œThat would be good. I think he would do it. I donโ€™t think Fury would,โ€ he said. โ€œThat would be in preparation for Dillian. Maybe weโ€™ll both be out there [in Klitschkoโ€™s camp]. They use him as well.โ€

Joshua would have no problem getting some rounds in with a future opponent. โ€œNothing he would do to me in sparring will affect my mental state ahead of the fight. I would definitely spar him if he wanted to spar.โ€

Before he turns his attention to Whyte, he first has tall Highlander Gary Cornish to contend with. โ€œI canโ€™t really go in with too much respect. I have to go in there with the mentality that they will be defeated. But heโ€™s live, heโ€™s tall, heโ€™s game,โ€ Joshua said. โ€œItโ€™ll be good to showcase the slips, the body shots, the counters. Itโ€™ll be really good, Iโ€™m looking forward to it.

โ€œHeight isnโ€™t always the winning factor in a boxing match, as we saw with [David] Price and Erkan Teper. Itโ€™s not always because heโ€™s taller, heโ€™s going to win. If I use his height to my advantage, I can really display a different arsenal in my tactics, like the hooks and uppercuts.โ€

Winning is paramount. But at this stage of his career the style of victory matters too. โ€œItโ€™s how you win. โ€˜You werenโ€™t supposed to do that to this type of opponent, this opponent was supposed to give you problems.โ€™ Every fight I think at the minute is so important to add to the stock and gives you attention. I think Gary Cornish took the fight as well because weโ€™ve got something to offer him. We can bring him to Sky, theyโ€™ve got the backing financially. If I was getting manhandled by the [Kevin] Johnsons, the [Michael] Sprotts, the [Matt] Skeltons, there wouldnโ€™t be much to offer because no one would want to invest in me. Itโ€™s important to win these fights in good fashion so itโ€™s easier to get people in, like the Cornishes and Dillian Whytes, theyโ€™re going to get a lot in return for stepping up to the mark,โ€ he explains.

โ€œI now understand why people like Gary Cornish didnโ€™t fight the Dillian Whytes of the world or doesnโ€™t fight the Sprotts of the world, because they havenโ€™t got much to offer. So the risk and reward balances out with myself at the minute. If I wasnโ€™t beating these guys in good fashion, then the risk and reward wouldnโ€™t balance out. So thatโ€™s why Iโ€™m kind of understanding why certain fights happen and certain fights donโ€™t.โ€

It should lead to an exciting end to 2015. โ€œ[Cornish] is 21-0, Dillianโ€™s 14-0, 35 wins between the both of them, no defeats, so itโ€™ll be good if I can beat them both. Thatโ€™s a good marker,โ€ Joshua said.

The target is to become British champion before the year is out. โ€œThatโ€™s what I need. I donโ€™t want it, I need it. I need that British title. I need it all really. I need these belts right now, to get respect amongst people in the industry,โ€ he insisted. โ€œNow I need that belt so [they say] โ€˜you know what heโ€™s starting to arrive on the sceneโ€™. So thatโ€™s why I really need that stuff. When you become GB champ [in the amateus] it starts to become more interesting, Europeans, Worlds. Commonwealth and British is like ABA and GB championship level. So Iโ€™m just arriving onto the scene, so I think thatโ€™s important, really important.โ€

CLICK HERE FOR A VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH ANTHONY JOSHUA

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