Tyson Fury, the two-time world heavyweight champion, has shared a surprising story about his early days in boxing. He admits that Anthony Joshua, who was still an amateur at the time, once gave him a beating in sparring.
The sparring session took place at Finchley Boxing Club in 2010. Fury, already a professional, found himself overwhelmed by the young Joshua's skills.
"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's honesty about this experience shows his humility and Joshua's early talent. The Gypsy King explained that he eventually got back in control of the sparring session.
"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."
Since that sparring session, both fighters have had impressive careers. Fury became a long-time holder of the Lineal title and dethroned Wladimir Klitschko in 2015. He's also notched up victories over Derek Chisora, Dillian Whyte, and Otto Wallin. His trilogy with Deontay Wilder ended with two knockout wins for Fury.
Joshua turned pro and has become a two-time world champion himself. He's now gearing up for a fight with Daniel Dubois in September, where he could become a three-time world heavyweight champion if he wins.
Fury's career hasn't been without setbacks. He took time out due to mental health problems but made a successful return to the ring. Recently, he suffered his first career loss to Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed contest.
A rematch between Fury and Usyk is on the cards. If Fury wins, he'll join Joshua in having a shot at becoming a three-time world champion.
The boxing world continues to speculate about a potential future match between Fury and Joshua. Their paths have taken different routes since that sparring session in 2010, but they remain two of the biggest names in heavyweight boxing.
