Tyson Fury once admitted he got ‘battered’ by Anthony Joshua during one-off boxing sparring session

The boxing world has been on edge for years, eagerly awaiting the day when heavyweight titans Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua finally collide in the ring. Despite multiple attempts to arrange the highly anticipated fight, fans have been left disappointed as negotiations fell through time and again. With both fighters now in their mid-30s, the window for what would undoubtedly be one of the most monumental showdowns in boxing history is quickly closing. However, few are aware that these two gladiators have already faced each other in a spirited sparring session, a clash that saw the young, up-and-coming Anthony Joshua besting the more experienced Tyson Fury.

The scene was set at the Finchley Boxing Club back in 2010. Fury, who had been a professional boxer for two years, entered the session with an unblemished 11-0 record, fresh off a hard-fought victory against John McDermott in a rematch for the English heavyweight title. Eager to hone his skills and maintain his winning streak, Fury issued a bold challenge in a guest column for Boxing News magazine, offering an expensive Rolex watch to any sparring partner who could knock him out.

Enter Anthony Joshua, then an ambitious amateur still making his way through the ranks. Joshua had yet to make his professional debut, but his raw talent and potential were already making waves in boxing circles. Although Joshua didn’t manage to knock Fury out during their sparring session, Fury himself later admitted to being ‘battered’ by the young contender over three intense rounds.

Reflecting on the encounter a few weeks later, Fury shared his experience on BBC Radio London. “I went down to Finchley Boxing Club and I sparred with the ABA champion, Anthony Joshua. He’s red hot, him, he’s very good,” Fury recalled. “To be honest with you, I thought to myself, ‘I’m only going to take it easy as he’s an amateur and we probably won’t spar again if I go mad.’

Fury went on to describe the moment Joshua unleashed his aggression: “He’s rushed out at me, he threw a one-two and a left hook and I slipped. I thought, ‘He’s not that good, I’m going to take my time.’ Then bash, he gives me a big uppercut right on the point of the chin. If I’d have had a bit of a weak chin like David Price, I’d have been knocked out for a month.”

Despite his experience and status as a professional boxer, Fury was taken aback by Joshua’s tenacity and skill. “He’s very, very good and he’s only young, 20, watch out for that name Anthony Joshua, he is one prospect for the future. He came out at me for three rounds and he gave me a beating – I’m not going to deny it, he gave me hell for leather for three rounds. I thought ‘Oh my god, an amateur is killing me.'”

Fury acknowledged that Joshua’s performance was exceptional, especially considering his youth and relative inexperience. “Being a professional, and I’ve been an amateur myself and fought all over the world, I slowed him down a bit with a few good body shots. The kid’s only 20, and I’m a handful myself, so for him to put up a good performance like that against a top prospect in me, I think he’s one for the future.”

In 2016, Joshua offered his perspective on the sparring session during an interview with Sky Sports. Although he didn’t go into as much detail as Fury, Joshua confirmed that the encounter was intense and revealing. “I just got my head guard on, gum shield in, and we just cracked on,” he said. “Me and him just had a straight war. What I learned about Fury is we’ve got the same heart. We’re both fighting people and we go to war. I didn’t manage to knock him out. We both hit each other with some big shots, powerful shots.”

As the boxing community continues to hold its breath in anticipation of a full-scale professional bout between Fury and Joshua, the story of their early sparring session serves as a tantalizing glimpse of what could be one of the most epic rivalries in the sport’s history. With both fighters now established as top heavyweights, a showdown between them would not only settle old scores but also cement their legacies as two of boxing’s all-time great.