Two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua arrived early in Jeddah to put the finishing touches on his training for the title rematch with Oleksandr Usyk in eight days, and the results are clear to see in a video posted on Thursday.
Eleven months after their first clash in London, Joshua and Usyk are now just eight days away from their highly anticipated rematch in Saudi Arabia.
They went head-to-head in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last September, with the Ukrainian producing an upset to claim the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight belts.
Joshua will look to reclaim the belts and become a three-time unified heavyweight champion of the world, and he looks in fine shape in the latest released footage of his training.
After cutting weight and looking to outbox Usyk in their first fight, Joshua looks to have gained more and improved his power ahead of the rematch.
Since the loss last September, Joshua parted with long-term coach Rob McCracken and instead sided with new coach Robert Garcia.
Garcia criticised AJ’s game plan in the first fight, and is keen for his new fighter to use his superior physique to beat Usyk the second time around.
“When you have somebody that’s a lot smaller than you and you have the weight, height, reach and power advantages then take advantage of that,” said Garcia.
“It seemed like they had a different game plan.
“I wouldn’t even want to say it was a ‘game plan’, maybe it was just the wrong instructions. Anthony is the type of fighter who listens to his corner so he did what he was told and it was totally wrong.”
By the looks of Joshua’s build in his training footage, it seems the Watford-born fighter has taken on board the advice from his new coach.
