Oleksandr Usyk has shed light on his growing friendship with Anthony Joshua, revealing that the pair have been training together as he prepares to potentially support the Briton in a proposed showdown with Tyson Fury.
Usyk, who defeated Joshua in both of their heavyweight world title encounters, said their relationship has strengthened since they began working together, with the Ukrainian inviting the former champion to join his training camp.
“AJ is a very kind guy; he supports me every time. I told him, ‘Brother, if you need my help, I can help.’
“He came to train with me for two weeks. We trained hard together sparring, drills, partner work, punching and defence. The swimming pool sessions helped him a lot too,” Usyk said.
The former undisputed heavyweight champion described the arrangement as beneficial for both fighters, insisting the sessions have helped sharpen Joshua’s skills while also providing valuable work for himself.
“It is not finished for who wins; it helps each other. AJ is very smart and hungry for work; he wants to learn more. It is discipline. If you do not work, it is a problem,” he added.
Usyk’s back-to-back victories over Joshua ended the Briton’s reign as heavyweight world champion, but the pair have since developed a close bond. The Ukrainian previously compared their relationship to that of Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed in the iconic Rocky film franchise, with former rivals becoming trusted allies.
The friendship has fuelled speculation that Usyk could play a role in Joshua’s camp should a long-discussed clash with Tyson Fury eventually come to fruition.
