Anthony Joshua has admitted that he is not as brutal as former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, but he is planning to go for a knockout against Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday.
Nigerian-Briton Joshua is facing the Ukrainian Usyk in a rematch in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday in a bid to regain his World Boxing Organisation, World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation heavyweight belts he lost to the Ukrainian last year.
Joshua has a height and weight advantage over Usyk but he tried to box clever against the former cruiserweight, who won the bout comfortably on points.
When asked in an interview with Daily Mail published last night if he would be like Mike Tyson, whom he looks up to, Joshua rejected the comparison.
“Mike was sent from heaven to grace us with his talent. Although I can learn from him I can never be like him. He was a unique specimen,” Joshua, 32, said.
He added that he would be out to cause serious damage to Usyk, who took some time out to help defend his country against Russian invasion.
“I do want to do him harm this time, despite all my respect for what he has done in the war in Ukraine,” Joshua boasted.
“I do know that if I use my elements of height and strength I will have a better chance of winning.”
Joshua insisted that he has brushed off the criticism that followed his two defeats to Andy Ruiz Jr and Usyk in 26 professional fights.
He said: “I try not to focus on criticism. There are a lot of positive vibes out there as well. Especially inside the four walls of my home and the environment I shape around me. Should I shape that environment around having had a couple of defeats?
“Records matter now because people forget quickly these days. But I study the win-loss records of the famous endlessly – and boxers who consistently fight the best rarely go undefeated through their career. Annoying as it is, I know I have to cope with losing. I fight the best.”
He waved off speculation that he was considering retiring after well beaten by Usyk in the first fight.
“Right after, in the changing room, I knew I would fight again. I was telling everyone: Come on. What the f***. We are warriors. We lost a fight but not the war,” he revealed.
“This is an ongoing battle. It’s not over ’til it’s over. That’s how I remotivated my team. Nothing should dishearten you. I have to keep that mentality. For the rest of my life. Even if I stumble privately or publicly.
“But it has been a nightmare just sitting on this loss for so many months. The time-frame does change every day. I have dedicated a lot of my life to a very tough sport. I will do this for as long as I can but I think I’m quite smart at business now. I will be 33 shortly and a lot will come down to how long my body can hang on.”
