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Anthony Joshua goads Oleksandr Usyk’s by suggesting his body transformation ahead of world title rematch could be because the champion didn’t feel ‘big enough’ during their first clash
- Anthony Joshua offered his opinion on Oleksandr Usyk’s body transformation
- Joshua speculated Usyk may have gained weight as he didn’t feel ‘big enough’
- The Ukrainian looks set to step on the scales at a career-heaviest weight
- Joshua and Usyk will meet in the ring on Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Anthony Joshua has speculated on the reasoning behind Oleksandr Usyk’s dramatic body transformation ahead of their heavyweight title rematch on Saturday.
Joshua will seek revenge against the Ukrainian in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, after Usyk dramatically dethroned him by soundly outpointing the then-champion when the pair first met back in September.
Despite fighting the majority of his professional career as a cruiserweight, Usyk has looked unstoppable since moving up to the heavyweight class in 2019, utilising his technical virtuosity to overcome often significant disadvantages in both height and weight.
Anthony Joshua speculated as to why Oleksandr Usyk has gained weight ahead of their rematch
The former cruiserweight has looked significantly larger in the lead-up to their second fight
However, ahead of the rematch on Saturday Usyk has undergone a body transformation, with the Olympic gold medallist now looking every bit the heavyweight in training footage leading up to the bout.
Speaking to iFL TV as to why Usyk may have decided to pack on the pounds ahead of their rematch, Joshua said: ‘Listen that is a lot of weight’
‘For me if I was to put that weight on, I would say it is because I feel I am not big enough at a certain weight.
‘A second reason would be I feel I can punch harder if I can add this weight on and I feel that I would be able to manoeuvre the other guy around a bit better because last time I fought at heavyweight I didn’t feel strong enough.’ He added.
Usyk outpointed Joshua when the pair first met at the Tottenham stadium in September
The Ukrainian will make his first defence of the heavyweight crown on Saturday night
‘But it may not be intentional. You just spend time in the boxing gym and you don’t spend much time in the weight room, so they are probably right it is just naturally happening.’
In their first encounter at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium the six-feet-three Usyk weighed a career-heaviest 221lbs, but was still noticeably smaller than Joshua, who tipped the scales at 240lbs and is three inches taller.
Though he has remained coy on exactly what his weight will be at Friday’s weigh-ins, it seems certain that Usyk will step on the scales heavier than he did when when he captured heavyweight gold.