"Hit the man!" - Sugarhill Steward on how Anthony Joshua can defeat Oleksandr Usyk
Sugarhill Steward has simplified what Anthony Joshua needs to do to defeat Oleksandr Usyk on August 20 in Jeddah.
Joshua produced a tentative performance against Usyk last September at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Despite being the physically bigger man, 'AJ' was reluctant to impose his physicality on his smaller Ukrainian opponent. Instead, the Brit tried to outbox Usyk, but to no avail.
This led to Usyk cruising to a comfortable 12-round unanimous decision, capturing the WBO, WBA, IBF and IBO Heavyweight Championships. Joshua was also close to being stopped in the final seconds of the bout before he was saved by the bell.
Watch the full fight replay of Joshua vs Usyk 1:
Following his loss, many believe 'AJ' needs to be more aggressive in the rematch and Sugarhill has suggested that he agrees with these tactics. The nephew of the legendary Emmanuel Steward implied that Joshua needs to let his hands go.
"I just believe he has to win, throw some punches and hit the man. I'm sorry I'm laughing about that, but it's true. You gotta throw some punches and try to hit the man if you're gonna win. Simple as that."
Watch the full interview with Sugarhill on Boxing Social:
Sugarhill Steward questions Anthony Joshua's mindset
When asked whether 'AJ' should come in heavier or lighter for the rematch, Sugarhill turned his attention to the Brit's mindset. Tyson Fury's current trainer doesn't seem convinced that Joshua has the mentality needed to beat Usyk.
"I don't care what he comes in like, he hasn't had a mindset. It doesn't really matter."
Joshua was also criticized for his lack of heart against Usyk. Despite clearly being down on the scorecards, 'AJ' did not throw caution to the wind to try to knock out the Ukrainian.
However, Anthony Joshua recently added Robert Garcia to his team in hopes of reigniting the aggression he displayed earlier in his career. Garcia is well-known for teaching his fighters to come forward and claim knockout victories.
According to Garcia, 'AJ' is already showing signs of a meaner streak that will give him a greater chance of hurting his skilled opponent.