Declan Taylor
Anthony Joshua failed to claim the Rolex watch on offer the first time he shared a ring with Tyson Fury but has vowed to “take his head off his shoulders” the next time they meet.
WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Joshua and fellow countryman Fury, who currently holds the WBC belt, are on course to meet in the most anticipated British megafight in history and both are adamant it will happen in 2021.
Following Joshua’s successful title defence against Kubrat Pulev at Wembley Arena earlier this month, Joshua has now set his sights on finalising a deal with the Gypsy King, a decade on from their now-infamous sparring session.
Joshua donation gives hope to grassroots boxing Joshua was only an amateur when Fury turned up at Finchley ABC he was happy to have a crack at the 6ft 9in professional, who had promised that anyone who could floor him could take his Rolex. <p>Anthony Joshua returns to his amateur club Finchley ABC</p>Mark Robinson
Anthony Joshua returns to his amateur club Finchley ABC Mark Robinson The Londoner left empty-handed but made such an impression that day that Fury later went on BBC Radio Five Live and tipped Joshua for the very top in a now-infamous interview.
“All I wanted was his Rolex,” Joshua said. “He said before that spar ‘if you can beat me up or knock me out, you can have my Rolex watch’ so I was hungry then and I am even hungrier now.
“That is what I did to him then, it was a good spar when I was 18 and didn’t really know too much, it was just passion.
“Now I have some boxing IQ and passion, I know it will be a great fight. There was a Rolex but now there is an even bigger pot of gold at the end of this rainbow and I want to take his head off his shoulders when that fight happens.”
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has suggested that terms are all but agreed for the fight although there is still no venue agreed. He has, however, insisted that the fight is unlikely to take place in England unless a crowd is allowed inside somewhere like Wembley stadium, which seems a long way off with coronavirus still tearing through the capital city.—AFP
