Anthony Joshua has admitted to using a translator in order to gain insight into what Oleksandr Usyk’s gameplan will be on fight night. ‘AJ’ has been watching back old Usyk fights and listening to the corner advice with his Ukrainian-speaking friend and feels he now has a greater understanding of Usyk’s team and their habits.
Speaking to TalkSPORT, he said: “One thing he [Usyk] has been working on is his cardio. You see when a fighter gets fatigued that’s what I’ve noticed. I’ve watched so many fights and I have listened to his corner. I have had my mate from Ukraine translate their information and what they tell him.
“I understand they try to counter punch. They might take their foot off the gas. They might put their foot on the gas. I just expect a fight at the end of the day. If I get too caught up on what he is doing I will forget what I have got to do.”
When asked how he will approach the rematch, Joshua responded: “Get my feet out of the mud, use my feet, get my heart rate going, use my attributes.”
In response to the speculation, Joshua said: “If the game don’t want me no more, I don’t have to do this. Why do I do it? Because it’s all I know.”
Both men took to the scales earlier today with little difference from their first weigh-in last year. Usyk weighed 221.6lb, similar to the 221.25lb he recorded last time out while Joshua was slightly heavier at 244.5lb, 4.5lb heavier than he was for the inaugural encounter.
During a recent interview with Seconds Out, Amir Khan stated that Usyk had revealed to him that he would come in “15 kilos” heavier. In reality, he was only 3.5oz more on Friday.