IT started with a Rolex. Anthony Joshua had only just taken up the sport, hadnโt heard of Tyson Fury before, but he was sparring the young heavyweight to win the watch.
โI just thought thereโs this big guy, heโs 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, โIf you want that Rolex, take it to him,โโ he recalled. โWe went to war.
โIt wasnโt really a technical thing โ holding with one hand, trying to hit me, low blowing. I was an amateur. This was about 2009. I wasnโt 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 didnโt even know who he was. I didnโt 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 Britainโs brightest professional prospects. But Anthony wouldnโt mind having another crack at winning that watch. โIโve got the G-shock on, I need that Rolly,โ he says.
โFuryโs someone thatโs been mentioned since I was three fights in [to his pro career]. Itโs a relevant fight. You know boxing, as long as thereโs interest sooner or later these fights happen. I think thatโs 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, heโs got every puncherโs chance, I think thatโll be good for the division over here.โ
โIโm still going to get that belt. I just like Klitschko. Fury, I donโt know what heโs like,โ he continued. โWeโre not really on the same level [in terms of] personality. Weโre not the same type of people.โ
โThat 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 insiderโs view of their upcoming heavyweight title clash. โIf 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 Furyโs style is more dominant, it will be a really interesting fight. Someone will get knocked out quick.
โI think if you get the Fury, the reckless guy who comes to fight, thatโll be a real good fight. I donโt 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. โThat would be good. I think he would do it. I donโt think Fury would,โ he said. โThat would be in preparation for Dillian. Maybe weโll both be out there [in Klitschkoโs camp]. They use him as well.โ
Joshua would have no problem getting some rounds in with a future opponent. โNothing 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. โI canโt really go in with too much respect. I have to go in there with the mentality that they will be defeated. But heโs live, heโs tall, heโs game,โ Joshua said. โItโll be good to showcase the slips, the body shots, the counters. Itโll be really good, Iโm looking forward to it.
โHeight isnโt always the winning factor in a boxing match, as we saw with [David] Price and Erkan Teper. Itโs not always because heโs taller, heโs 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. โItโs how you win. โYou werenโt 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 weโve got something to offer him. We can bring him to Sky, theyโve got the backing financially. If I was getting manhandled by the [Kevin] Johnsons, the [Michael] Sprotts, the [Matt] Skeltons, there wouldnโt be much to offer because no one would want to invest in me. Itโs important to win these fights in good fashion so itโs easier to get people in, like the Cornishes and Dillian Whytes, theyโre going to get a lot in return for stepping up to the mark,โ he explains.
โI now understand why people like Gary Cornish didnโt fight the Dillian Whytes of the world or doesnโt fight the Sprotts of the world, because they havenโt got much to offer. So the risk and reward balances out with myself at the minute. If I wasnโt beating these guys in good fashion, then the risk and reward wouldnโt balance out. So thatโs why Iโm kind of understanding why certain fights happen and certain fights donโt.โ
It should lead to an exciting end to 2015. โ[Cornish] is 21-0, Dillianโs 14-0, 35 wins between the both of them, no defeats, so itโll be good if I can beat them both. Thatโs a good marker,โ Joshua said.
The target is to become British champion before the year is out. โThatโs what I need. I donโt 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. โNow I need that belt so [they say] โyou know what heโs starting to arrive on the sceneโ. So thatโs 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 Iโm just arriving onto the scene, so I think thatโs important, really important.โ
CLICK HERE FOR A VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH ANTHONY JOSHUA