Mike Tyson didn’t even blink when asked about Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua fight

Iron Mike is currently readying himself for his upcoming battle with Jake Paul later this month, but as a fan of boxing, he has given attention to a hypothetical bout between two heavyweight giants

Mike Tyson didn’t even blink when asked who would win between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury – backing the man who was famously named after him to come out on top.

The 58-year-old former heavyweight champion has enjoyed a brazen career of his own in the world of boxing, clinching the WBA, WBC and IBF titles while compiling a 50-6-2(NC) record flooded with 44 knockouts. And while ‘Iron’ Mike hasn’t fought in a professional capacity since his 2005 loss to Kevin McBride – returning four years ago for an exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr – he has certainly kept his eyes fixed on the sport.

One bout fans have had to wait incredibly patiently for is a showdown between Joshua and Fury, who are still yet to meet in the ring despite a fierce rivalry over the years. The super-fight – which would arguably be one of the biggest boxing events that the world has ever seen – has had people talking for almost a decade, many questioning whether the knockout power of AJ would prevail or if the ‘Gypsy King’ would outpoint his fellow Briton.

And Tyson has had his say on who he thinks would be the victor should the two men ever meet in a professional contest. Speaking to BBC Sport in 2022, Tyson explained: “It’s very interesting, Joshua is a masterful puncher.

“But you can see his punches coming, he telegraphs his punches. And that’s just a recipe for disaster if you’re fighting Tyson Fury and you’re telegraphing your punches – to a guy whose 6ft 7in, come on.”

‘Iron’ Mike also omitted AJ from his list of top five boxers around the same time, instead instilling faith in Fury, Deontay Wilder, Andy Ruiz Jr, Vasyl Lomachenko, and Gervonta Davis. Joshua and Fury may well face each other in the near future, dependent on the outcome of the ‘Gypsy King’s’ rematch with Oleksandr Usyk next month.

Joshua recently missed out on the IBF title when he was knocked out by Daniel Dubois in September. The 35-year-old looked outmatched from the start and throughout. He was knocked down by ‘DDD’ three times before walking onto a hard right hand in the fifth, failing to make it back to his feet for the referee’s count.

Fury, meanwhile, lost his WBC heavyweight title via split decision when he met undefeated Ukrainian Usyk in May. His far-slicker opponent bested him over the course of 12 rounds. The 36-year-old will hope to recapture gold when he meets with ‘The Cat’ once more in December.

However, should he falter, it may be time for matchmakers to finally put him up against AJ – and give fans the fight they have yearned for all these years. Tyson is currently gearing up to return to the ring in a professional space for the first time in some 19 years, set to clash with YouTuber-turned-pugilist Jake Paul at the ATandT Stadium in Arlington, Texas, come November 15.

‘The Problem Child’ has racked up an impressive record of 10-1 since turning pro four years ago, besting the likes of Nate Diaz, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, Ben Askren and Mike Perry, to name but a few. His sole loss came at the hands of Tommy Fury via a split decision last February.