Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua may be past their prime, but the former two-time heavyweight champions could still deliver a memorable showdown when they meet on December 11 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in Wales, headlining a Ring event on Netflix.
Fury (36-2-1, 25 KOs), 38, and Joshua (30-4, 27 KOs), who turns 37 on October 15, remain formidable despite the physical toll of their careers.
Asked who is closer to his prime, Joshua confidently backed himself.
“Me. I feel fresh,” Joshua said in an interview with The Ring’s Mike Coppinger. “My body is very strong now. My mind is very strong, and I ain’t got much damage.
Joshua also highlighted his experience, saying he could draw on more lessons from previous fights than his upcoming opponent.
Fury, a professional since 2008, has fought 37 times and completed 273 rounds, compared with Joshua’s 34 fights since turning professional in 2012. Their careers have included demanding battles, setbacks and encounters with six common opponents, including Oleksandr Usyk, Wladimir Klitschko and Dillian Whyte.
While Joshua boasts a 90 per cent knockout rate against Fury’s 69.4 per cent, both fighters have suffered knockdowns, with Joshua accounting for 11.
Despite the questions surrounding their age and physical condition, Joshua believes the bout must deliver on its considerable expectations.
“We have to prove that this fight will live up to the expectations of being one of the best fights in British history.”
