In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports Oleksandr Usyk declared he’d help train new “friend” Anthony Joshua to beat Tyson Fury; Usyk won’t speculate on his own future until after his clash with Rico Verhoeven; But Usyk warned the kickboxing superstar that he is a “master boxer”
Oleksandr Usyk has vowed to help Anthony Joshua defeat Tyson Fury.
Joshua, a former world titlist who himself lost to the Ukrainian twice, has joined Usyk’s training team and is in camp with the unbeaten, unified heavyweight champion.
Usyk has welcomed Joshua into his team. “We help each other. We help, we work, we’re joking, it’s a great time. Earlier we were rivals, opponents, now we’re friends,”
A two-weight, three-time undisputed world champion, Usyk has beaten Fury twice himself. He is the ideal man to advise Joshua on how to take on former two-time heavyweight champion Fury.
“I think AJ will do it, beat my friend ‘Greedy Belly,'” Usyk said.
AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn revealed to Sky Sports that negotiations are advancing for Joshua to fight Fury this year in that long-awaited all-British heavyweight mega-fight.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports: “It is a big shout. I wouldn’t be surprised.
“He’s definitely going to be a help, how could he be anything but a help? It’s definitely not going to be an easy fight but it’s one we’re all confident of.”
He revealed that training with Usyk is already making a significant difference to Joshua.
“Firstly the set up’s incredible. Being around the best fighter in the sport is incredible and he loves it. He went there of his own accord back in August/September and he said he was going for two weeks – and he’s never left,” Hearn said.
“He phoned me after three days, facetimed me from his bed, basically said: ‘I’m not sure about this, I think I’m going to come home.’
“When you are out there like I saw and you are doing your sprints and you are flat out and your heart rate’s at 90% and the pound-for-pound No 1 Usyk comes around to the running machine and says: ‘Keep going, you can do this, you are going to be a champion again.’
“That is inspirational stuff that you can’t think about attaining without that kind of environment and that’s the kind of fire and passion that Anthony Joshua is bringing to his career and to this fight.”
Hearn added: “It’s going to take you to a whole new level. Couple that with Oleksandr Usyk and his team have beaten Tyson Fury twice. It’s a nice mix, it’s a nice dynamic and AJ’s very happy out there.
“It is a different type of energy, there is a different type of purpose to Joshua now. He is fighting for more than just belts, he is fighting for a lot of personal things as well going on in his life.
“We are very proud of him and we will get this done and he will beat Tyson Fury.”
Usyk is preparing for a fight of his own. On May 23, in the shadow of the pyramids in Giza, Usyk will put his WBC title on the line against Rico Verhoeven, a dominant heavyweight kickboxing champion who is launching himself into top level boxing for the first time.
Verhoeven though should be wary of a Usyk masterclass. “For me it’s a regular fight. I am master boxer,” the Ukrainian said.
Usyk has been linked to a possible fight with the Fabio Wardley-Daniel Dubois winner, to reunify the four major heavyweight titles once again, and potentially Tyson Fury too in a trilogy.
But he would speculate no further on his boxing future, saying: “Now I have focus only on Rico then we speak about future plans.
“But now it’s only May 23, Egypt. Discipline and focus – only this fight.”
