AJ’s main sparring partner Marko Milun shares his unique view on Usyk rematch
Ahead of the huge rematch between Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk this weekend, BoyleSports Boxing Odds caught up with one of AJ’s main sparring partners Marko Milun, who believes if the challenger gets his tactics right, he will beat defending champion Usyk easily.
Here's what the Croatian amateur boxer, who won bronze medals at the 2018 EU Championships and 2019 European Games, had to say after sharing camp with Joshua:
AJ is technically perfect and if he gets tactics right, he will beat Usyk easily
“AJ is technically perfect, he just needs good tactics. Good tactics will win the fight. AJ is the best technical boxer. Everything he does is perfect; jabs, hooks, uppercuts – AJ looks perfect, If they set him good tactics he will win, easy.
“This time the whole camp is different. It's not the same. We spar maybe 15 rounds, me and AJ, very good rounds and it was explosive. I enjoyed it. Not like last time – everything was different; how he treated us, it was different. Coaches are different, his training is different, from the small things to the big things. He is hungry now, he wants to win badly. Last time we didn't speak so much because we were separated, he was in his hotel. Now we eat together, we train together, we are at the pool together, recovering in the sauna. We have become closer than last time – he's a very good guy. He's relaxed – it's big pressure, everyone thinks it's big pressure, but I think he will handle the pressure. He's a two time world champion and Olympic champion. For him the pressure is normal. Everybody speaks out against him – but who cares. I think he will show in the fight a better AJ.”
AJ needs to bully Usyk as he cannot be boxed
“I told AJ you need to bully Usyk, you can't box him. Everybody knows that. Maybe Usyk will expect that – he looks heavier this time. But not heavier than AJ. I don't know how he will start and finish the fight because he trained to attack and he trained defence, he trained everything – in sparring he is better than last time. He only lost by four rounds last time. It's not too much. If he catches him in those 12 rounds with a little bit of pressure he can knock out Usyk.”
AJ can knockout Usyk, he’s in a very different place than the last fight
“Of course I can see AJ knockout Usyk, and I hope he will do it. He listens to everything the coach says, he is very disciplined, he listens to everything, it's like he's on a joystick, he's very good this time. He's focused and enjoying his boxing.
“He's a heavy hitter and he can knock out people easily. Last fight we all expected the knockout and I hope he will give us the KO this time. AJ needs to win. He's given 1000% of himself to win this fight, he's given everything in preparation, everything for winning.
“They helped me on Monday. My family had a car accident and they booked my flight immediately for three hours back to Croatia. They are very friendly and they helped me with everything. I missed the last sparring because of the accident. I thank all the AJ team for their help. Now my family is ok, my sisters need an operation, but they are not in danger and that's the most important thing.”
