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      ‘Born to fight’ – Oleksandr Usyk warns all of Anthony Joshua’s plotting has been for nothing and he’ll look for a KO

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      OLEKSANDR USYK has fighting in his DNA, so laughs off the idea that Anthony Joshua’s 11 months ­studying the sweet science will be enough to beat him.The 35-year-old Ukraine icon’s childhood dream of being a theatre star drew its fair share of wannabe bullies, meaning Usyk went into his 350-bout amateur career with guts as well as guile.
      Oleksandr Usyk says everyone was born for a reason, his is to fightCredit: AP
      Anthony Joshua’s plotting means nothing to Oleksandr Usyk, the champ claimsCredit: AP
      When the first bombs dropped on his country in the last days of February, he rushed home from London and had a machine gun over his hulking shoulder within days.
      Usyk reckons his desire to fight — while still being a devout Christian, a doting daddy and adoring husband — is  ordained by God.
       And nothing Watford’s AJ  has worked on with new trainer Robert Garcia since Usyk wrenched away his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight crowns last September,  can conquer the Cossack warrior.
      Usyk, flanked by a stuffed Disney donkey but speaking with all the menace of a Hollywood horror villain, growled: “I was born to fight.
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      “But everybody was born for a reason. If I was born to  fight, then you guys were born to tell these sports stories and explain us fighters to the world.
      “My promoter, Alex, was born to be my promoter, to guide my career — and be my translator while I study English!
      “Everyone was born for a reason, people who do not realise that often make mistakes in their lives. Each of us was born to fight for something.”
      Joshua was definitely a streetfighter in his youth, with the scars on his callous-covered hands and a spell on remand in Reading prison to prove it.

      🥊AJ vs Usyk 2 confirmed fight time, TV and live stream info for Saturday’s blockbuster
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      When he walked into Finchley ABC aged 18, he turned his life around and became the boxer that revolutionised the sport for Great Britain.
      Joshua ended his decade-long association with Team GB staff for this Jeddah rematch, axed his most recent cautious points-scoring tactics  and hired a  Mexican-American trainer famed for a high-pressure, dog-fight style.
      But when we relay all this to Usyk, he dismisses us with a sociology lesson.
      The champ declared: “Frankly, I don’t care much about what he does.
      “It’s up to him to decide what to learn, what to study, how to behave. I’m doing my job, I’m not even trying to think about his.
      “This is not the type of information I really require. What I do require is the data from my team, from people we are working on,  everything else is not helpful.
      “Many people absorb information that is useless, that they have no idea how to use properly in their lives. 
      Ukraine hero believes he’ll be bigger and better as he aims for a repeat win that could leave Anthony Joshua’s boxing future in doubtCredit: Getty
      “According to my experience, this is just dirt, crap that remains in our heads and doesn’t help us to develop.
      “It just stays there and keeps the space. Instagram, TikTok, all those social media, they are to make people stupid. They don’t want to read books, history or  literature. They don’t want to fill their brains with knowledge that’s going to be useful for them.”
      What was useful for the Crimea-born father-of-three, in his Dubai training camp, was training to the brink of ­collapse and sparring giants who towered over him and carried the power to ­concuss a smaller man.
      Team Usyk rotated these paid assailants one round at a time to keep them as fresh as possible as they tried to punch the former cruiserweight king into orbit.
      He joked: “It felt to me that during this preparation I made a trip to see Elon Musk maybe four or five times. Sometimes it was really difficult for me.
      “When I had a break between rounds, I was thinking, ‘What the hell am I doing? What do I need this for?’ I answered myself, ‘Because you keep working. That was your choice. So, go ahead’.”
      And what of Team Joshua’s claim that they found a whopping 13 sparring partners ideal for imitating the 6ft 3in southpaw who moves like a mercurial welterweight, hits from the obscurest of angles and plays cruel mind games better than a Love Island menace?
      It’s true I have put on weight. I am going to walk into the middle of the ring and look for the stoppage.Oleksandr Usyk
      Usyk added: “I agree with you that I might be the hardest boxer for anyone to find sparring for.
      “It might seem a bit complicated to fight a southpaw who moves a lot and who behaves the way I do.
      “If I were in his shoes I would probably be searching more among the amateurs, watching their fights, not just in heavyweights but in different divisions, just to work on special things, special tricks, to work with a southpaw.”
      And what of Usyk’s stony-faced promise that he has bulked up on his previous career-heaviest weight of 15st 11lb, to  finish the English hero well inside the distance this time round?
      Eleven months ago, AJ was almost out on his feet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Usyk pummelled him to a points defeat.
      The Ukrainian said: “It’s true I have put on weight.
      “I am going to walk into the middle of the ring and look for the stoppage —  that’s the way it is going to be.”
      Thankfully, only AJ has to argue with him now. More

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      Anthony Joshua weighs in 4lbs HEAVIER for Oleksandr Usyk rematch as he looks to bully lighter unified champ

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA packed on 4lbs in his effort to bully and KO Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday.The 32-year-old Watford ace was 240lbs – 17st 2lbs – for his September loss to the 35-year-old Ukraine king in September.
      Anthony Joshua hits the scales in Saudi ArabiaCredit: Reuters
      Oleksander Usyk weighing in after Anthony JoshuaCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
      Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua ahead of their rematchCredit: Getty
      And he stripped his top off – but left on his trousers and pants – to make 244lbs on Friday afternoon in Jeddah, before staring down his 13lbs lighter foe.
      The under-pressure challenger said: “I’ll be honest, all of this stuff doesn’t matter, it’s just about the fight. Real talk.
      “All of this stuff, weight, face-off, none of it matters to me. Just looking forward to the fight.”
      Usyk – the former 14st 4lbs undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world – stayed bang-on his 221lbs – 15st 11lbs – mark from the first unanimous points win.
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      Misleading photos of the WBA, IBF and WBO champ looking massive – and Amir Khan’s terrible maths following a visit to his Dubai gym – had some fans thinking Usyk had packed on as much as 2st.

      🥊AJ vs Usyk 2 confirmed fight time, TV and live stream info for Saturday’s blockbuster
      But he was just a quarter-of a-lb over his September weight – technically a career heaviest – and played it ice cool as always when asked if it was an intentional trick.
      “Your expectations are not met every time,” he grinned.
      Joshua added: “I’m just ready for 12 rounds, 100 per cent ready for 12 rounds and anything short of that is a bonus.”
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      Joshua was beaten over 12 rounds last year at Tottenham’s stadium, surrendering the unified belts.
      But he has now linked up with American boxing mastermind Robert Garcia, promising a seek-and-destroy approach.
      Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua face off for the final timeCredit: AP More

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      Anthony Joshua to adopt ‘African and Mexican’ fighting styles against Usyk and says rival ‘needs to work harder’ to win

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA will adopt a hybrid of African and Mexican fighting styles for his crunch clash with Oleksandr Usyk.AJ, 32, brought in renowned world champion coach Robert Garcia to cook up an aggressive game plan for Saturday night’s Saudi showdown after a timid display last time out.
      Anthony Joshua will renew his rivalry with Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday nightCredit: GETTY
      The Brit was turned over by Usyk in their Tottenham tussle last SeptemberCredit: GETTY
      AJ plans to adopt a hybrid of “African” and “Mexican” fighting styles for the rematchCredit: Getty
      And the Brit plans to add a bit of African flavour to Garcia’s famed Mexican-esque pressure style.
      The two-time heavyweight champion told Boxing Social: “We’ll see the African style, life, that’s all that matters.
      “I’m taking African style to Mexican style…both hard-working people…I respect the Mexican culture.”
      Joshua is confident the addition of Garcia will lead to a tougher night at the office for Usyk, who turned him over in their Tottenham tussle last September.
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      The Watford warrior said: “He needs to work harder to beat me. Listen, boxing’s a dog fight at the end of the day, it’s in me.”
      “If you’re a boxer, then you have it in you. It never left anyway.”
      Joshua doesn’t plan on outpointing his way to revenge against Usyk as he did in his 2019 rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr.

      🥊AJ vs Usyk 2 confirmed fight time, TV and live stream info for Saturday’s blockbuster
      The London 2012 medallist said: “I will do my best and win by knockout.”
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      Mexican-American Garcia and the rest of Team Joshua will push AJ to go for the kill if he rests on his laurels.
      He told Sky Sports: “Can he win by decision? Yes. I know that he can also win by decision because if he controls the fight with his long punches, using a lot of jabs, even though we want him to back him up.
      “But if he just uses the reach and that half distance where he’s controlling the fight, he could easily win a decision too.
      “But, does he have the power, does he have the strength, has Usyk been dropped before? Yes.
      “Does he like body shots? Probably not because he’s been dropped a few times with body shots.
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      “Can he knock him out? I think so. And that’s what we’re going for.
      “I think Anthony knows it himself, and myself and Angel Fernandez, we’re going to push him to go for the knockout.”
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      Ukraine boxing fans to watch for FREE after amazing Usyk gesture while Joshua supporters fork out record £26.95

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      AN ENTIRE nation will back Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night — but it is not just rival Anthony Joshua they have in their sights.Millions of Ukrainians will be glued to their screens thanks to the generous gesture by Usyk, who gave away the TV rights for free.
      Oleksandr Usyk will give Ukraine a massive boost if he retains his world heavyweight titles while his country battles on against RussiaCredit: Getty
      Oleksandr Usyk gave away TV rights for free, enabling millions of Ukrainians to watch him take on Anthony Joshua for freeCredit: AP
      They are hoping he delivers a devastating blow to AJ but also gives tyrant Vladimir Putin a bloody nose, too.
      The bout is expected to raise $1million to help the war effort and a Usyk victory will provide a huge boost to morale.
      Boxing fan Maksyn Drobot, 28, said: “This fight means more than boxing, it means more than sport.
      “This fight is about the future of our nation because Usyk is flying our flag.
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      “He will show Putin that we are a nation of warriors who will never be defeated.”
      The world heavyweight title rematch has gripped the war-ravaged country.
      After six months of conflict since Russia’s invasion, the people are desperate for a brief respite from the daily trauma of war.
      Sport provides that and boxing has a proud heritage in Ukraine thanks to former greats such as Vitali Klitschko, now mayor of Kyiv.

      🥊AJ vs Usyk 2 confirmed fight time, TV and live stream info for Saturday’s blockbuster
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       Usyk, 35, could have made millions selling the TV rights to the Jeddah fight after Saudi Arabia gifted them to him.
      Instead, companies will sponsor the broadcast and donate to the cause while an app called MEGOGO will carry a QR code during the fight to allow viewers to chip in.
      Usyk said: “This is a great motivation for my people. My Ukrainian people must see this match.
      “We are currently at war. Free broadcasting is very important, the money that people could have used to buy the broadcast, they can use to help someone.”
      Maksyn, an IT worker from Lviv, said: “Giving free TV coverage  to the entire country is an incredible gesture.
      “We were united anyway but this brings us even closer together. 
      “We cannot imagine anything other than a Usyk victory.”
      In contrast to Ukrainians, those in the UK will have to fork out £26.95 to watch the bout on Sky Sports Box Office.
      If Usyk retains the WBA, IBF and WBO belts he took off of AJ in September, celebrations will be muted as a  curfew remains in force from 11.30pm to 6am.
      Those closest to Usyk  have also been rallying the nation and their man.
      Usyk’s wife, Yekaterina, said: “Russia invaded our country and took our lands. We have to fight for our territory.”
      And promoter Alex Krassyuk said: “None of us wanted war. But when thieves break into your home, you protect yourself.
      “When enemies come, our sacred duty is to protect our family, our relatives, our Motherland.
      “Usyk was no exception in this situation.”
      Even if Usyk does lose, the people’s resolve will not break. Maksyn warned: “Even if Joshua manages to land a lucky punch, Putin should know that Ukraine will never be knocked down.” More

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      Not in 130 years of heavyweight fights has there been a win that could inspire a nation in Ukraine if Usyk beats Joshua

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA, unless Oleksandr Usyk, kicks sand in his face, will become the third British fighter to regain the world heavyweight title for a second time.He will join Lennox Lewis and Herbie Hide, who twice lost the crown yet bounced back to recapture it on two occasions.
      Anthony Joshua faces Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch in Saudi Arabia on Saturday nightCredit: Getty
      AJ is bidding to become a three-time heavyweight world championCredit: Getty
      AJ will find it extremely difficult to get his WBA, IBF and WBO belts back from the man who treated him to a 12-round masterclass of magical skills and tactical brilliance 11 months ago in London.
      But he must know it’s going to be that much harder because Usyk isn’t only a virtuoso of the noble art but he’s going to be doubly inspired by 40 million fellow Ukrainians willing him to win.
      Boxing’s most exciting, glamorous and lucrative division has been responsible for so many outstanding moments featuring giant personalities like Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson.
      But never throughout it’s rich and colourful 130-year history has there ever been a fight where the outcome is more than likely to influence the morale of an an entire nation.
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      Inevitably it’s Ukraine’s horrific and heart-breaking war with Russia, that’s the overwhelming factor that engulfs this Saudi Arabian, desert dust-up.
      Usyk when he stands in the ring listening to the Ukrainian national anthem as he waits the opening bell will have to have nerves of steel if he’s not going to be overcome with emotion.
      President Volodymyr Zelenskey, has been in touch with him throughout the build-up and there’s no doubt he would have emphasised the vital importance of Usyk returning victorious to Kyiv.
      I believe Max Schmeling is the only other fighter who can be compared to Usyk.
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      He was put under extreme stress by his Head of State before he challenged Joe Louis, at Yankee Stadium, New York in June, 1938 – his name was Adolf Hitler.
      Schmeling had sensationally KO’d the unbeaten Brown Bomber two years before.
      Hitler and the Nazi party immediately embraced him and because he’d flattened a black man, used him as a propaganda tool to prove to the world the superiority of the Aryan race.
      Max was often invited to the Reich Chancellory to take afternoon tea and have dinner with Hitler, Geobbels and Goring.
      It was made abundantly clear to Schmeling what was expected of him before he sailed to America for his return with Louis and how important his success was to the German people. 
      Louis brutally took just 124 seconds to destroy the myth of Aryan supremacy and poor Max ended up six weeks in hospital with two fractured vertebrae.
      When he eventually got back to Berlin, Hitler and his gang dropped him like a mouldy bratwurst.
      Not that Usyk will suffer the same fate if he should lose to Joshua – but I’m sure having beaten AJ once he’s confident of a repeat performance.

      🥊AJ vs Usyk 2 confirmed fight time, TV and live stream info for Saturday’s blockbuster
      AJ admits his strategy was completely wrong last year – trying to outbox a maestro like Usyk was the utmost folly.
      He surely now realises there’s only one way he can restore his reputation and the faith of his fans.
      He’s got to use his size, strength and power to rough up the champion and take him out of his comfort zone – exactly what he should have done the first time.
      Let’s face facts – Joshua has not been the same since he suffered that shock seventh round defeat against roly-poly Andy Ruiz after being floored four times at Madison Square Garden.
      In the return AJ easily outpointed Ruiz but was so cautious and stood so far off him you would have thought the American was suffering from Covid. 
      Though in his next fight he stopped Kubrat Pulev in nine rounds.
      Though there were definite signs he was gun shy and the evidence that he was very wary of exposing himself to danger was there for all to see when he fought Usyk.
      It will be interesting to see what changes – if any – his new trainer Robert Garcia has introduced.
      Joshua is 32 and has been a pro ten years – a bit late in the day to try to change the habits of a lifetime.  
      But I don’t believe Usyk, who has bulked up a bit despite the turmoil and trauma he’s been through since the Russians invaded his country, has lost any of his talent or technique.
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      Usyk is on a crusade and is fighting more for the flag than himself.
      I expect once again he will prove to be too clever for AJ –  and I won’t be surprised if this time he scores a late stoppage.
      Unbeaten Ukrainian Usyk outpointed AJ at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last SeptemberCredit: Reuters
      British icon Joshua has vowed to be more aggressive in his second bout with UsykCredit: AFP More

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      Inside the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium and why the 10,000 capacity venue is better for Usyk than Anthony Joshua

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA had 60,000 fans keeping him honourably on his feet against Oleksandr Usyk in Tottenham 11 months ago.But that safety blanket of support has been whipped from under him in exchange for Saudi cash, leaving him needing a magic carpet to get out unscathed if he finds himself drowning again in the Red Sea.
      Joshua and Usyk will take to the ring on SaturdayCredit: Supplied
      The fight will take place at the King Abdullah Sports City ArenaCredit: Supplied
      The venue is situated in Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaCredit: Facebook – King Abdullah Sports City
      The hosting 10,000-seater King Abdullah Sport City arena is little over a mile away from the Jeddah Superdome that was falsely advertised as the venue — but a far cry from the 35,000 seater spectacle.
      And despite the tight walls and steep stairs, the place will be utterly devoid of the atmosphere that has, in AJ’s most iconic nights, inspired him to victory.
      The standard tickets — available right up until the first bell from a number of outlets in the many, many super-malls — are priced around £90.
      That has alienated any of the working-class fans who might have paid much closer to £20 to watch any of the greedy football clubs who have visited to flog their brands in recent years.
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      Joshua did not need the silent crowd that witnessed his 2019 cautious points win over an obese Andy Ruiz Jr in Diriyah.
      But — despite the pandemic fears and lockdowns —  he insisted on having a 1,000 strong army inside Wembley Arena when he eventually battered Kubrat Pulev in December 2020.

      Britain’s national treasure appears to need us almost as much as we love him.
      George Groves retired on his 2018 loss to Callum Smith in the same soulless site and admitted his whole experience was a drag.
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      🥊 Joshua vs Usyk: All the TV, stream and undercard info ahead of Saturday’s heavyweight bout
      Amir Khan’s four-round battering of Billy Dib the following year was, by his own typically honest  admission, nothing but a cash grab against an overmatched and far smaller opponent.
      Unlike AJ’s last trip to Riyadh, where hosts rushed up an outdoor arena on a Unesco site of historical importance, this venue is more like the arenas boxing’s mid-range UK shows visit in Sheffield, Nottingham and Stratford’s Copper Box.
      When AJ seriously struggled in his London 2012 Olympics opener against Cuban ace Erislandy Savon, the home crowd helped convince the judges to give him the victory that eventually set him on the way to gold-medal glory.
      In a number of professional wins he has been hurt early — by the likes Dillian Whyte, Alexander Povetkin and Wladimir Klitschko.
      But his huge heart and confidence have been boosted by a totally partisan crowd that grew from 20,000 at The O2 to 90,000 at Wembley Stadium.
      Ukrainian Usyk on the other hand — with an amateur record of 335-15 — will be perfectly versed in boxing in soulless and almost empty venues.
      He was public enemy No 1 in north London last time and still had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand.
      Everything about this venue plays into Usyk’s heavy hands. It is just another card stacked against our AJ.
      Emerging from this stark desert victorious, with his three belts regained, will truly make him the comeback king — with sadly no congregation to celebrate with.
      Usyk and Joshua came face to face for the weigh-in on FridayCredit: Getty More

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      Deontay Wilder claims Tyson Fury is ‘going to have to retire’ as old rival has ‘a lot of stuff going on’

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      DEONTAY WILDER claims a mystery problem will force Tyson Fury to retire from boxing.The American heavyweight reckons that the saga over Fury’s on-off status as an active fighter will be brought to an end by circumstances outside of his control.
      Fury lands a left on Wilder as he was victorious in their final trilogy boutCredit: AP
      Wilder lost twice to Fury in their epic trilogy, with Fury snatching the Bronze Bomber’s WBC crown.
      And Wilder claims Fury hanging up his gloves will open up the whole heavyweight division, ahead of the huge clash between Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk.
      Wilder told Boxing News 24 and Fighthype: “Yeah, I think he’s going to have to retire. I mean, he’s going to have to. Yeah, a lot of stuff is going on.
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      “I’m not even going to get into it, but it’s looking like he’s going to have to.
      “Once that happens, all things are up for grabs. I can’t give too much information out. I don’t really want to discuss it.
      “There are going to be a lot of changes in the division, opportunities, and a lot of different things lined up. Stay tuned.”
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      Wilder faces Robert Helenius in Brooklyn, New York, next month.
      And it sounds like he still has hopes of being a world champion, especially if Usyk defeats Brit AJ in Saudi Arabia.
      Wilder added: “I’m going with Usyk in this fight against Joshua.
      “I’ve said that. I’m sticking with my word on this fight.” More

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      I used to work in a energy company call centre – now I’m fighting on the undercard of Joshua against Usyk live on Sky

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      BOSNIAN boxer Petar Nosic used to answer calls for an energy company – now he is fighting on Anthony Joshua’s undercard. The super-middleweight faces rising British star Ben Whittaker, who last year won Olympic silver.
      Ben Whittaker will fight Petar Nosic in Saudi ArabiaCredit: Getty
      Nosic’s office for the night will be in the ring against Whittaker, before AJ headlines in a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
      So it marks quite the journey from working in Ireland answering the phone at energy provider Green Star.
      Nosic, 23, began boxing only in 2015 and after six months he was already representing Bosnia.
      And it was in one European Championship bout that he actually boxed Whittaker, losing in the second round.
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      Nosic told The42: “I had only been boxing for seven or eight months.
      “I wasn’t really ready for that level; not ready physically and even less ready mentally.
      “His team definitely know about that fight — but that was seven years ago, you know?
      “I was a beginner, then. Now, I’m obviously more prepared. I know what I’ve come here to do.
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      “But Ben has also improved. He took silver at the Olympics and is obviously a very, very good boxer.
      “So, we’ve both improved in our own ways… and we’ll see what happens Saturday.
      “It’s actually a good thing but I think they’re definitely underestimating me.
      “See, I see this as an opportunity to show myself to the world, you know?”
      Nosic moved to Cork in 2018 and before looking for an amateur boxing club to train at, he needed to first find a job.
      He worked as a kitchen porter before switching to customer services for Green Star.
      Nosic boxed in Ireland for three years but moved back home during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic.
      He has remained there ever since, turning professional in 2021 and since going 6-0.

      🥊AJ vs Usyk 2 confirmed fight time, TV and live stream info for Saturday’s blockbuster
      Whittaker, 25, plans to use Saturday night’s Sky Sports Box Office event to further announce his name to the boxing world.
      His promoters have high hopes and believe they have got the nation’s next star on their hands.
      But for Nosic, he plans to rip up the script and derail 1-0 Whittaker’s hype train before it has even left the station.
      He said: “I could never go in with the mentality just to stick around until you hear the last bell.
      “That’s not the way I think. That’s not the way I process things.
      “Every time I have ever been in the ring, I have gone in there to win. I go in there to try to finish the guy.
      Whatever happens happens — but I’m always confident in my preparations, I know what I have to do.
      “I’ve sacrificed the last, I don’t know, seven or eight years of my life training constantly to get an opportunity like this.
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      “I’ve never had a training camp in my life: my whole career is training camp. Even when I’m on holiday, I train.
      “So, that’s where the confidence comes from and I need to have that mentality.
      “I can’t go into a fight just to put up a good fight, you know? I fight to win.”
      Petar Nosic fights on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua’s rematchCredit: Getty
      Ben Whittaker is tipped as Britain’s next boxing hopeCredit: Reuters More