"I like the pressure "- Anthony Joshua likes coming as the underdog against Oleksandr Usyk in the rematch
Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Uysk met at the fight-week press conference ahead of their bout on August 20. The WBO, WBA, IBF and Ring Magazine World Heavyweight Championships will be on the line for their clash in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Speaking about the contest, Joshua claimed that he enjoyed the pressure even though it is difficult. He credited his coach and team for challenging and supporting him.
Asked about the pressure of the contest, Joshua said:
“It’s must win, I like the pressure it has been tough, Robert Garcia and Angel Fernandez and existing members of my previous team have definitely pushed me and challenged me. Mostly, get the job done, instinct stay focused, get the job done.”
Watch the full clip here:
🗣️ “It's must win. I like the pressure. I've got goals I want to achieve!“ - @anthonyjoshua
#UsykJoshua2 #RageOnTheRedSea https://t.co/9gYXdyr4oq
Anthony Joshua is usually a calm and reserved figure during media engagements, and the press conference was no different. Joshua did not have much to say, and was more focused on getting the win on Saturday night.
The Brit acknowledged that the biggest fight of his career so far is a must-win bout. Joshua, however, has maintained that he loves the pressure and has always said that it brings the best out of him as a fighter.
The pressure will, however, be unlike anything Joshua has faced before. Oleksandr Usyk handily won the first fight last year, and most observers believe that Joshua needs a knockout.
Oleksandr Usyk has never been knocked out as a professional, so knocking out the Ukrainian will not be an easy task. Likewise, fighting someone that has already beaten you well, is always a difficult proposition.
As he alluded to, Joshua has a different training team this time around. Robert Garcia has been introduced to provide a new different gameplan from the first fight.
Anthony Joshua blamed the gameplan for his loss in the first fight and dismissed Rob McCracken, who has guided Joshua since his amateur days.
Anthony Joshua will have to upset the odds on Saturday night to regain World Heavyweight Championships
Before the first bout, Anthony Joshua entered as a betting favorite.
Following the events of the first fight, however, wherein Oleksandr Usyk defeated Joshua via unanimous decision, the odds have flipped. In that first fight, Usyk also hurt the former champion and looked more likely to win a boxing match or fire fight.
For the first time in his career, Anthony Joshua goes into a fight as the underdog 👊
He's been odds-on favourite for all of his previous 10 world title bouts 🤯
Can AJ upset the odds on Saturday? 🤔 #UsykJoshua2
As such, Anthony Joshua will be the underdog for the first time in his career.
It is not something that he has faced before, as he was still the favorite for the Andy Ruiz rematch.
Ruiz stopped Joshua in the first fight, but did not show any good signs in the build-up to the second fight. He came in overweight and looked a shadow of his former self.