Key points:
- Anthony Joshua says training with Oleksandr Usyk’s team exposed him to a boxing-specific conditioning approach
- Joshua: “One of my main issues was conditioning. Their conditioning is supreme.”
- Barry Hearn also praised the shift in preparation
- Joshua faces Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Jeddah, his first fight since the camp change
Anthony Joshua says training alongside Oleksandr Usyk’s team exposed him to a completely different style of conditioning ahead of his July 25 fight against Kristian Prenga.
“One of my main issues was conditioning. Their conditioning is supreme,” Joshua told talkSPORT. “We’re not talking about just doing S&C and circuits in the gym for the sake of it. We’re talking about boxing conditioning. Sometimes we don’t even hit a pad. Sparring, bag work, shadow boxing, technical rounds, improving your focus, improving your boxing IQ.”
Joshua added that he still sees plenty of room to grow, despite the new approach. “I’ve still got so much room to improve,” he said. Barry Hearn, who has watched Joshua’s camp closely, also praised the shift, saying Joshua had been introduced to a different level of preparation entirely.
Usyk beat Joshua twice in world title fights, in 2021 and 2022, so Joshua training under members of his old rival’s team is a notable turn. The obvious question is how much of a fighting style built over decades can actually transfer in a single training camp. Saturday’s fight against Prenga will be the first real test of whether the new conditioning approach shows up in Joshua’s performance, rather than just his training routine.
Joshua faces Prenga on July 25 in Jeddah, in what’s widely viewed as a tune-up fight before a potential showdown with Tyson Fury later this year.