ANTHONY JOSHUA is looking lean and mean ahead of his showdown with Oleksandr Usyk.
The Watford warrior is gearing up to defend his unified heavyweight titles against the undefeated Ukrainian on September 25.
And he looks to be in tremendous shape for the tussle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The normally bulky Joshua, 31, shared two snaps from his training camp to his social media pages on Thursday evening.
And boxing fans were quick to comment on his trimmer physique, with WBO cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie saying: “Lean, mean, boxing machine
Another said: “Champ, you look lean!
One of Joshua’s followers asked: “Just me or does he look slimmer than ever?
“One remarked: Physical specimen.”
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Joshua revealed his intention to reduce the size of his frame last month, telling Sky Sports: “I do look at my weight but I’m not trying to make weight because I’m a heavyweight.
“I tailor my training. I am getting a lot of experience, I’ve been fighting good fighters for a long time, I’ve studied them and learned about their training camps.
“I’ve learned how to condition my body for specific fights. I’m looking trim for this fight.
“I’m fighting a guy who is a 12-round fighter. So it would be silly of me to go in there bulky with my muscles screaming for oxygen.
“I’ve been training like a 15-round fighter in this camp. I will be well-conditioned to fight. That is key.
“What happens when I train that way? My body adapts and takes its natural form. This is the form it has taken.”
Joshua has been tipped to knock out former undisputed cruiserweight king Usyk, who many believe is an undersized heavyweight.
It would be silly of me to go in there bulky with my muscles screaming for oxygen.
Anthony Joshua on his trimming down to face Oleksandr Usyk
But AJ currently doesn’t have a fight-ending sequence in mind, saying: “I was watching [Evander] Holyfield and [James] Quick Tillis today and he was saying how he was gonna come and bring war.
“And if he wins, he’s gonna fight Tyson and rematch him. And he lost, I think it was in the fifth round.
“So it just shows whatever I say, whatever people say, it only matters when you’re in the ring. I respect it, everyone is entitled.
“And that’s what I was saying, one day, I’m gonna be that guy on the sidelines.
“But as for now, I wish Usyk a great camp, I wish his team well, safe travels. Same with my team.
“The main thing is we keep boxing alive and we get in there and we put on a good fight. And that’s what we’re here to do.
“And that’s what I’m here to do, at the end of the day. And he’s here to do the same.
“But I don’t know how it’s going to end. I don’t know if it’s going to be the jab, the uppercut. Do you know what I mean?
“I don’t know what shot it’s going to be, [but] I just want to go out there and put on a good show for the people that are going to coming out to watch.
“Because that’s all that matters at the end of the day.”
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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
