‘Joshua focused to outhustle Usyk’

A 2020 Olympic bronze medal winner Frazer Clarke is impressed by what he has witnessed in Anthony Joshua’s ongoing training camp.

Joshua is preparing for his scheduled rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, on August 20 in Saudi Arabia.

Back in September of 2021, Usyk outboxed Joshua over 12 rounds to capture the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO heavyweight titles.

Joshua would later exercise an immediate rematch clause.

To prepare for the fight, Joshua parted ways with career-long trainer Robert McCracken and hired veteran coach Robert Garcia.

Clarke explains that Joshua was focused beyond measure on the task at hand – with zero mention of WBC champion Tyson Fury in the gym.

“All focus has been on Usyk, and on outhustling him with educated pressure. Although this is an awkward fight against a very skilled heavyweight, just like Tyson Fury is, AJ has his mind on the game for this,” Clarke told The Telegraph.

“Listen, the words Tyson Fury haven’t even been muttered in our gym because we know that the job at hand is a difficult one. There’s no two ways about it, Usyk is one of the more skillful heavyweight champions we’ve had in recent years. On a skill level, Usyk and Fury are at the top of the tree, even if you go back in history.

“Just going in there and mauling him like people are suggesting, it’s never going to happen. Nor will trying to outbox him.”

“AJ will definitely take a more positive approach from him, and we know Usyk can be outhustled. We saw that in his fights against Derek Chisora, and his first heavyweight opponent, Chaz Witherspoon.

“Let’s be honest, this isn’t an amateur fight, this is professional fighting, this is street fighting with a referee and gloves and rules so you’ve got to do whatever you can to unsettle this man and use all your attributes.” –boxingscene.com