The sporting world longs for Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to throw punches at one another in the boxing ring. But they already have.

For while Joshua's win over Kubrat Pulev on Saturday intensified calls for him to face Fury in 2021, the pair actually tussled in 2010.

On his way back from the gym, Fury - who was 22 at the time and a professional - called Steve Bunce at BBC Radio London and explained what Joshua - who was 20 and chasing amateur honours - was like.

Now that the Joshua-Fury rivalry has reached a new level, BBC Sport boxing correspondent Mike Costello describes Fury's words from a decade earlier as "gold dust". Here they are.

"I just went down to Finchley Boxing Club and sparred the ABA champion Anthony Joshua. He's red hot him, very good.

"To be honest with you I thought 'I'll only take it easy because he's only an amateur and he probably won't spar me again if I go mad'.

"He rushed out at me, he threw a one-two and left hook and bash, he hit me with an uppercut right on the point of the chin.

"If I'd had a weak chin like David Price I'd have been knocked out for a month. He's very, very, very good and he's only young. Watch out for that name, Anthony Joshua, he is one prospect for the future.

"I'm a good prospect, I rate myself as one of the top heavyweights in the world and he came at me for three rounds and he gave me a beating. I am not going to deny it. He gave what for, hell for leather. I thought 'an amateur is killing me'.

"I slowed him down with a few good body shots. The kid is only 20. I'm a handful myself, so for him to put up a good performance like that against a top prospect in me, I think he's one for the future.

"But sparring isn't fighting and fighting with a head guard is not professional boxing."

Truvel:
Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury Knuckle Get Weight Ooo. U Fit Chop Am?

paulolee:

A.J knuckle gat notin on wilder punch of death...we all know how fury n wilder ended..
fury knows how to face these guys...boxing isnt abt just knuckles bt also by receiving punches n dts wat fury is good at..
I fear for A.J when it comes to receiving punches n dts the reason he lost to dt mexican duy

paulolee:
its funny seeing fury playing soft mind games...we all know fury knows how to walk into heads of his opponets n he would beat A.J with points...thats my opinion

Truvel:
Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury Knuckle Get Weight Ooo. U Fit Chop Am?