Anthony Joshua has been linked with many names in the heavyweight division, starting with the upcoming matchup against Oleksandr Usyk this summer.
Joe Joyce is another potential opponent for the Watford-born fighter. Amidst the speculation, a video was leaked. The clip is of the two Brits sparring, with Joshua seemingly dominating in the training session. It is also speculated that the former world champion or a member of his team leaked the video.
Watch the leaked video of Anthony Joshua sparring with Joe Joyce here:
In an interview with iFL TV, Joyce was asked his opinion on the leak, to which he replied:
"I don't really care because there's a lot of footage over the years, four-five years of sparring footage. There's him [Joshua] leading up to the Olympics, there's post-Olympics when he's turned pro and I was leading up to my Olympics in Rio. Depending on what stage of the camp we're in, sometimes I'm punching him up, sometimes he's punching me up, but it's 50-50 sparring."
The 36-year-old London native added:
"I think mentally, where Joshua is at, he's kind of being a bit petty if he did have anything to do with it, to leak sparring footage."
Sparring is ultimately just training and doesn't necessarily reflect the outcome of an actual fight. Furthermore, the pair have had multiple spars, where Joyce claims to have been the better man in some of them.
Regardless of the result of Usyk vs. Joshua 2, a domestic affair between the two Brits could happen in the near future. 'AJ' may have gained the upper hand in the sparring footage, but Joyce is chasing world championship status too.
Watch Joyce's full interview here:
Joe Joyce vs. Anthony Joshua - A potential all-British domestic clash
The heavyweight division is stacked with talented competitors. The weight class includes Joshua, Joyce, Usyk, Tyson Fury (though unofficially retired), Deontay Wilder, Dillian Whyte, Daniel Dubois, Joseph Parker, and Andy Ruiz Jr.
An all-British showdown between Joyce and Joshua would be a huge event for British boxing, as both men would want to add a high-profile name to their resume.
Joe Joyce has been the Commonwealth, British, WBC Silver, and WBO International Heavyweight Champion since 2020. He also held the European Heavyweight Title from November 2020 to August 2021.
Meanwhile, Joshua is a two-time former Unified Heavyweight Champion of the world. He held the WBA, IBF, and WBO Titles twice in the period 2016–2021. 'AJ' also held the regional British and Commonwealth Heavyweight Titles in 2015–16.
Joyce holds a record of 13-0 with 12 knockouts, giving 'Juggernaut' a 92.31% knockout rate. Meanwhile, the 32-year-old Anthony Joshua has much more professional experience with a record of 24-2 with 22 knockouts. This gives 'AJ' a knockout percentage of 84.62%.