Richard Torres: To beat Usyk Joshua has to spar with me

At the moment there is no exact information about sparring partners Anthony Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs), which help him prepare for a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs), but definitely not among them Richard Torres (2-0, 2 KOs).

The Olympic heavyweight runner-up from Tokyo is relatively small, dynamic and boxing in a left-handed stance, which is not bad for someone who should emulate Usyk. True, the young American is more aggressive in the ring and does not perform as long as the Ukrainian, but he could well give Joshua a few good rounds.

At the moment, it is only known that in AJ's camp there is Agron Smakichi (19-1, 17 KOs). The second fight for the IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight belts is scheduled for August 20 in Saudi Arabia.

“To be honest, I was hoping that Joshua and his team would contact me with a sparring offer, because I look like Usyk in style, but, unfortunately, I did not receive such a request. I am ready to train with any world-class athlete. There are not many fast left-handers on the market who physically resemble Usyk. I am one of the few. Joshua has to hit as hard as he can because his punches hurt. It is important, however, that he hit with long combinations. I'm more inclined towards Usyk's victory, although Joshua can afford a successful rematch. But if he wants to properly prepare for the second fight with Usyk, he should cooperate with me, ”said Torres, who this week stopped Roberto Zavala Jr. in less than a minute. Torres' next fight is scheduled for August 27 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA on the Pedraza-Commey undercard.