ANTHONY JOSHUA sensationally wrote off Tyson Fury to his face and predicted David Haye would beat the Gypsy King – SEVEN years ago.
AJ was joined by Fury, Lennox Lewis, Frank Bruno and Scott Welch as Johnny Nelson hosted a special heavyweight The Gloves are Off in 2013.
Anthony Joshua picked David Haye to beat Tyson Fury in 2013
Fury had no problems with AJ backing Haye to beat him
At the time the Gypsy King was preparing to fight British rival Haye in a pay-per-view clash with the guests on the show asked to predict a winner.
Joshua, fresh from winning a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games, said: “He’s an explosive puncher, David Haye. I’ve heard that from trainers and seen him knock guys out.
“I don’t think anyone will get knocked out, it’ll go to points.
“I’ll put it on Haye.”
The fight in 2013 never came to fruition, as Haye pulled out on fight week with a cut sustained in sparring against now unbeaten contender Filip Hrgovic.
Similarly, the rescheduled 2014 bout was also canned, this time due to a shoulder injury that needed an operation for the Hayemaker.
Fury, 31, went on to dethrone Wladimir Klitschko – who beat Haye in 2012 – two years after AJ’s prediction.
But after battles with depression and substance abuse the 6ft 9in switch-hitter vacated the WBA, IBF and WBO belts – all of which now hang around the waist of Watford’s Joshua.
Fury is now world champion once again, after a dominating seventh round stoppage against Deontay Wilder, 34, last month, earned him the WBC title.
AJ, 30, and the Gypsy King now face calls to decide who the nation and division’s greatest star is, with all the heavyweight marbles up for grabs.
But Fury must first face Wilder in a trilogy bout, while Joshua is mandated to face Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev next.
Haye and Fury twice had fights against each other cancelledCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Never-seen-before footage of David Haye totally in awe of Tyson Fury knocking out Deontay Wilder
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
