Despite most boxing fans and experts claiming that the main advantage of Anthony Joshua (24-1, 22 KOs) will be his strength in his fight against Alexander Usyk (18-0, 13 KOs). The WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion claims that he is very thoughtfully preparing to face the skillful Ukrainian.
"Usyk moves very well and that makes it difficult to hit him, my own moves will be very important," AJ told Sky Sports. "I need to concentrate on the moment of impact. I will need to track it down first and then catch it on impact. My brain has to work all the time. It can be very tiring for me, so I train my mind to stay focused for twelve rounds."
"I also practice being able to throw punches in series rather than single punches. I need to stay focused, act persistent, and then eventually I'll be able to hit. It's going to be a battle of wits. I understand who I'm dealing with. I can be aggressive, attacking him and putting in the best of my punches, or I can take my time, be calculated and end up knocking him out," Joshua added, assuring him that he plans to be lighter in the ring on September 25 than he has been in recent fights.
"I'm paying attention to my weight, but I'm not trying to loose it off because I'm a heavyweight. But I adjust my training, I have relevant experience, I've been facing strong opponents in the ring for a long time. I watched them and learned from them during training sessions. I learned how to prepare my body for a particular fight," AJ explained. "Before this duel, I'm going to be trim. I'm boxing against an opponent who will be ready for twelve rounds, so it would be silly if I wanted to pump up my muscles because my muscles need oxygen. I train for fifteen rounds at a time. I'll be in great shape, and that will be my key to success."
