Tyson Fury recently reflected on his sparring session with Anthony Joshua back in 2010, revealing that Joshua was ‘pulled out’ of their match despite earlier claims that he had dominated the encounter.

This week, both heavyweight boxers prepare for their respective warm-up fights before their highly anticipated showdown, scheduled for late 2026 at Wembley Stadium. Fury faces Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday, while Joshua takes on Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

Fury, 37, and Joshua, 36, have a shared history in the ring. In their 2010 sparring match, Fury initially stated that Joshua had given him a beating, but he now recalls the session differently. He told Pro Box TV:

• “He came at me for three rounds, and he gave me a beating; I’m not going to deny it.”
• “He was just an amateur boxer really... I remember him putting his legs up like this, in the ropes, after about three rounds.”

Fury emphasized that the sparring session was not memorable for him, given his extensive experience, having sparred with approximately 400 to 500 heavyweights. He noted:

• “I don’t remember very much from many of them really.”
• “They pulled him out and put somebody else in. That was that.”

Both fighters eventually achieved great success, with Joshua winning Olympic gold in 2012 and both men becoming two-time world heavyweight champions. Their paths diverged recently, as Oleksandr Usyk dethroned Joshua in 2021 and outpointed Fury in 2024 to become the undisputed heavyweight champion. Fury last fought in April, defeating Arslanbekh Makhmudov, while Joshua's most recent victory came against Jake Paul in December.