Tyson Fury has changed his tune on Anthony Joshua.
The pair called each other out following Joshua’s victory over Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium last month. A fight between them seems destined to eventually happen, and, earlier this week, Fury kicked off the war of words.
The 28-year-old disparaged Joshua’s boxing ability, labelling the heavyweight champion a “fraud” and dismissing him as a “body builder.”
The Manchester boxer said the potential bout with the 27-year-old would be his “easiest fight.”
“I’ve never been more confident or serious when I say something, I will play with Joshua like a cat with a ball of wool – hands behind my back, making a right mug of him,” Fury said on BBC radio.
However, following a sparring session in 2010, Fury was very complimentary of Joshua.
Fury didn't hold back https://t.co/tu2LqsEyjA
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) May 9, 2017
Fury was nine fights into his professional career at the time, while Joshua was still an amateur, preparing for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, where he won a gold medal.
Joshua landed his signature punch on the more experienced Fury, and rocked him.
“I thought to myself, ‘I’m only going to take it easy, ’cause he’s only an amateur and he probably won’t spar again if I go mad,” Fury told Steve Bunce on his BBC radio show back in 2010.
“He’s rushed out at me, he threw a one two and a left hook and then bash –Â he hit me with a big uppercut right on the point of the chin.
“If I’d had a bit of a weak chin like David Price, I’d have been knocked out for a month.
“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’.
“But I slowed him down with a few a few body shots. For a kid that’s only 20, for him to put up a performance like against a top prospect him in me, I think he’s one for the future.”
Fury’s prediction of a bright future for Joshua would prove correct.
Boxing fans will have to wait a while to see the undefeated heavyweights back in the ring together.
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, has said Fury needs to get his boxing license back, address allegations of a failed drug test, get back into shape and win some fights before any bout against Joshua can take place.
