JAKARTA - Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury will fight twice this year after signing a contract worth £ 200 million (IDR 3.9 trillion). But, who would have thought that the two of them had been sparring partners 11 years ago with a Rolex watch as the prize?
Fury visited Joshua's gym, Finchley Boxing Club, in 2010. Back then, Gypsy King promised a Rolex watch to anyone who could knock him down.
Fury had 11 fights in his professional career when he met Joshua, who is still two years away from winning Olympic gold at the London Olympics.
Even though Joshua was unable to take down Fury. Joshua made Fury overwhelmed in the practice match.
“I went to the Finchley Boxing Club and I sparred with the ABA champion, Anthony Joshua. To be honest, I thought, 'I'm just going to take it easy because he's an amateur and we probably won't be training again if I fight seriously,' Fury told the BBC a few weeks after the fight.
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"He rushed at me, he did a one or two and a left hook and I slipped. I thought, 'He's not very good, I'll go easy on him. Then bash, he gave me a hard smack right on the tip of the chin. If I had a slightly weak chin like David Price, I'd be injured for a month".
"He is very, very good and he is young, 20 years old, watch out for that name Anthony Joshua, he is one of the prospects for the future".
In 2016, Joshua gave his own version of the sparring. However, he admits that he has no interest in his Rolex.
“I don't even know who Fury is. He was in London at the time, coming from Manchester", said Joshua, quoted as saying by the Daily Star.
“I used to take Boxing News seriously. In that magazine, I remember reading, Tyson Fury made his way from the gym to gym to spar and if anyone could knock him out, they'd get a Rolex prize".
"I hadn't even used a Rolex watch back then, I was crazy about rocking Casio!"
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