Anthony Joshua was knocked down by unknown American heavyweight Joey Dawejko in a 2019 sparring session, according to boxing coach Justin Fortune.

British star Joshua is preparing for an exciting 2021 which is likely to include a mouth-watering unification bout with British heavyweight rival Tyson Fury.

Australian trainer Fortune, who is Manny Pacquiao’s strength coach, predicted Fury would defeat Joshua due to his superior power and experience – before claiming the Watford-born boxer was dropped by the 5ft 8in Dawejko before his 2019 loss to Andy Ruiz.

Anthony Joshua (right) was put down by American boxer Joey Dawejko, says Justin Fortune

Boxing coach Fortune (right) predicts Joshua would lose to Tyson Fury in a heavyweight clash

When asked about the potential Fury-Joshua bout, Fortune told Elie Seckbach: ‘Joshua is tall. Fury is taller, and he is much more experienced. Fury is an octopus, and he will talk s*** in your ear for 12 rounds.

‘And Fury’s got a better chin than Joshua. He got up from Deontay Wilder’s devastating right hand. Dawejko dropped Joshua.’

According to talkSPORT, the reported knock down by Dawejko gave Joshua a concussion.

Dawejko (left, fighting against Frank Sanchez) reportedly gave Joshua a concussion in sparring

The reported put down came in the build-up to Joshua’s loss to Andy Ruiz (right) in June 2019

American boxer Dawejko is the same height and build as Ruiz, who Joshua lost to 18 months ago before getting revenge in a rematch later in 2019.

Ruiz trained in Australian boxing coach Fortune’s gym while preparing for the first Joshua fight back in April 2019.

Dawejko’s career highlight includes an impressive draw with countryman Jarrell Miller in 2013, though he was stopped by Charles Martin – who Joshua defeated in 2016 to claim the IBF world heavyweight title.

Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn denied the rumours that the Briton was knocked down by Dawejko recently, even though the heavyweight star came out of sparring with several facial injuries.

Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn (right) denied claims the the Briton was dropped by Dawejko

Hearn told IFL TV in 2019: ‘I’m not in camp. I speak to AJ, I speak to Rob (McCracken), I speak to all the people. No (he wasn’t knocked out), not at all. They had two spars. Not at all.

‘How many times has AJ had a fight where the rumours are he’s been dropped in camp? Every fight. And actually the only one that when you speak to AJ he talks about is David Price dropped him in sparring.

‘And actually he’s not the kind of guy who would sort of deny or hide from it.’