ANTHONY JOSHUA has admitted he has changed his training routine in preparation for his rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr.
The boxing world was stunned when AJ had his heavyweight world titles ripped from him by the Mexican underdog in June.
Anthony Joshua was battered by underdog Andy Ruiz Jr in one of boxing’s biggest ever shocksCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Andy Ruiz Jr recovered from an early knockdown to floor AJ three times on the way to becoming unified heavyweight champCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Ruiz floored Joshua three times on the way to a stunning seventh-round stoppage win.
In the aftermath of the fight critics were quick to point out that the Brit didn’t look himself on that fateful night in New York.
And now the man himself has revealed that certain things had to change ahead of the mouthwatering rematch on December 7 in Saudi Arabia.
He even admitted he KNEW he would get beat if he didn’t improve his training.
AJ PREDICTED DEFEAT
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Gloves Are Off, Joshua said: “There’s definitely stuff I can work on.
“I’ve been screaming this for two years in my gym, ‘I keep on going this way, I’m going to end up getting beat soon!’.
“But sometimes when the tools in your military box, in your army box, are working and you’re slaying the division, sometimes you don’t need to sharpen your other tools.
“But I’ve been saying it for two years. That’s why I say now, I go back to my instincts.
“My style has to change. If I want the same result, I do the same thing in preparation.
“If I want a different result, I have to do different things in training.
“Not change everything. I haven’t got enough time to reinvent the whole plan and there’s certain leaks that I’ve been saying that I need to tighten up on, but it’s all good.”
FURY WITH WARNING
And the 30-year-old will be hoping to avoid another shock at the Clash On The Dunes – with Brit rival Tyson Fury warning that his career is on the line.
Fury told the True Geordie podcast: “If he gets knocked out twice in a row, I can’t see him continuing to be fair.
“Every man does what he wants to do but I think – he doesn’t need the money and two knockout losses is a shattering to your career.”
SunSport reported how Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has finalised the undercard line-up – with Dillian Whyte making his grand return.
Whyte, 31, who beat Colombian Oscar Rivas five months ago, faces Poland’s 39-year-old former WBC champ Mariusz Wach.
It is his first fight back since a failed drugs test was revealed in July – he denied taking anything illegal and was cleared to fight by the British Boxing Board of Control and Ukad.
Anthony Joshua has admitted he has had to change things in training as he gets set for his date with destinyCredit: EPA
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
