By Terence Dooley
London’s Anthony Joshua may have Gary Cornish and Dillian Whyte pencilled in for his next two fights, but the undefeated 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist also has his heart set on a showdown with another domestic rival.
Joshua (13-0, 13 KOs) has told The Sun that he wants to take on Tyson Fury down the line to get some payback for a sparring session that took place when he was still an amateur.
The 25-year-old headlines at the O2 Arena on September 12, the vacant Commonwealth title will be on the line. Then he will see how Fury gets on with Wladimir Klitschko in October before trying to secure a showdown with his 26-year-old rival
“When I sparred Fury we had a little war,” revealed Joshua. “It wasn't technical—he was holding on with one hand and trying to hit with the other, low blowing me and all sorts. I was an amateur, I was really inexperienced, I had only been boxing about a year. We went to war.”
As an incentive, Joshua was told that Fury would give away his Rolex if one of his sparring partners managed to knock him out. Joshua walked away without the watch, but still hankers after it.
He said: “I didn't even know who he was because I wasn't a boxing fan at all, I just heard this big guy from Manchester had said that anyone who knocks him out can have his Rolex.
“So my coach said 'If you want that Rolex, take it to him'—so I went to war. If we fight down the line I want the watch on the line again. I've only got a rubber G-Shock now and I want that Roly.”
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