With the Oleksandr Usyk – Anthony Joshua rematch set for August 20, Irish boxing legend turned promoter Barry McGuigan has given his thoughts about their first fight and the tactics required for Joshua to become a three time heavyweight champion.
Speaking to Seconds Out, when asked about the heavyweight rematch the former featherweight king said:
“The reality is that so much of it is in Joshua’s head.”
“He’s been knocked down; he’s been hurt and knocked out by Andy Ruiz.”
“They’ll be those who’ll say he’s never looked the same since. He’s had that nervousness about him, I think that’s more apparent now than ever before.”
McGuigan praised the move of Joshua to employ the services of trainer Robert Garcia:
“Robert Garcia is a very good coach.”
“I know he did loads of technical sparing for the last fight which was a load of load of codswallop.”
“Garcia won’t tolerate that, he will get him in shape and get him into the right condition.”
The Irishman isn’t sure what Joshua’s options are if he suffers another emphatic defeat to Usyk:
“You have to look at it, like, realistically it’s his last chance”
“If he gets soundly beaten or even possibly stopped in this fight, where does he go from there?”
Mcguigan went on to give the tactics he would use for Joshua to come away from Saudi Arabia victorious:
“He’s got the physicality to win it. He’s got to get his tactics right and apply those tactics.”
“In my mind just go and walk the guy down. Use a solid job, hit him hard to the body then lift your shots up as the fight goes on.”
“Just grind him down, walk him down, use your physical strength.”
“That’s the way he’s going to win the fight, nothing else.”
“It’s not that complicated.”
Read Boxing Social’s article for all the key highlights from the Usyk vs Joshua 2 press conference.