Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk 2 news LIVE: Press conference fallout ahead of Saudi Arabia fight

Anthony Joshua played down rumours that he has been dropping sparring partners during his training camp for his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua takes on Usyk in Saudi Arabia this Saturday, as he looks to avenge a decision defeat by the unbeaten Ukrainian, who took the Briton’s heavyweight titles in London last September.

Joshua, 32, has been urged to take a more aggressive approach in his rematch with Usyk, 35, but “AJ” was coy when asked about rumours that he has been dropping training partners during his preparations for Saturday’s fight.

Here’s what he had to say:

Eddie Hearn has explained why the sixth round may be crucial in Anthony Joshua’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua was outpointed by Usyk in London last September, losing the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles to the unbeaten Ukrainian.

On Saturday, Joshua will seek to regain the belts and avenge the loss in another 12-round clash, with his promoter Hearn echoing the feeling of many pundits that “AJ” must go for the knockout.

“I just feel like he’s gonna do everything right and let those hands go,” Hearn said at Tuesday’s open workouts in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where the rematch will take place. If he lets those hands go, I really believe he wins this fight. I’ve said to him before: By the time that bell rings at the end of the sixth round, I want this fight over or I want Oleksandr Usyk physically in a place that he wishes he never will return to.”

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Dillian Whyte says Anthony Joshua needs to show the same aggression he displayed against him to defeat Oleksandr Usyk.

Whyte and Joshua fought in 2015 where the 32-year-old defeated Whyte. If Joshua uses similar tactics in his rematch with the Ukrainian on Saturday, Whyte believes he can get a similar result.

“It’s a massive fight, the biggest fight of his career,” Whyte told Sky Sports. “I do expect him to bounce back, he’s a British fighter like me and I only support our own, so I do hope he gets the job done.

“I can understand that [rediscovering his aggressive side], because I’m of the same mindset as well. It’s good for me if he wins as well. I think it’s the right mindset he needs going into the fight, it’s the only way he wins the fight.”

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Anthony Joshua is once again on a redemption mission in a boxing ring in Saudi Arabia.

In Jeddah they are getting ready for a fight, getting ready for the caravan of boxing fools, insiders, dreamers and liars to fill the seaside city. There are five luxury coaches parked outside the media hotel. The tour was here before, back in December 2019 when Andy Ruiz lost his battle with the swinging fridge door. On that night outside, under storm clouds and rain, near Riyadh, Joshua avenged a loss from earlier in the year and jabbed poor Ruiz silly.

On Saturday, Joshua has another loss to avenge and this time his opponent has most certainly not lost his way. Ruiz fell in love with food after beating Joshua. Oleksandr Usyk looks more impressive now than he did last September when he outpointed Joshua. They fight for three championship belts and Joshua will try to regain the heavyweight title for the third time.

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Here are some key details around Saturday’s fight:

When is it?

Usyk vs Joshua 2 will take place at the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia on Saturday 20 August.

Ring walks for the main-event contest are expected to take place at around 10.30pm BST (2.30pm PT, 4.30pm CT, 5.30pm ET).

How can I watch it?

Sky Sports Box Office will be the only place to watch the fight in the UK and Ireland.

The pay-per-view event will cost £26.95 in the UK and €31.95 in Ireland.

Odds

Usyk – 4/9

Draw – 16/1

Joshua – 13/8

Via Betfair.

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The obvious question is whether the Rage On The Red Sea marks Joshua’s last chance to set up an in-ring meeting with Tyson Fury, who claims – to the disbelief of most – that he has had his last dance.

Most would answer ‘yes’, but when Joshua, 32, was knocked out by Andy Ruiz Jr three years ago, the feeling was the same. Yet AJ responded with a mature performance at the end of 2019 to outpoint Ruiz Jr and reclaim his heavyweight belts. When the Briton lost them again, this time to Usyk last autumn, the probability of a clash with Fury faded to a mere possibility and then – with Fury’s ‘retirement’ after knocking out Dillian Whyte in April – an improbability.

And yes, if Joshua is to lose to Usyk once more, it is all but certain that we will never see that all-British heavyweight unification bout. It will be the lost fight of this generation, in Britain at least.

If Joshua is indeed defeated by the unbeaten Ukrainian again, calls for his retirement will be loud and plentiful – if unjustified. For Joshua, as much as he was seemingly engineered from birth and later moulded by Hearn to be heavyweight champion, does not need to be defined by that status; nor does his career need to be defined by a potential fight with Fury.

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The selection process for Anthony Joshua’s new coach, a process that took the Briton across the pond, generated speculation and intrigue in equal measure. It became arguably the most curious narrative of the build-up to the rematch.

Eventually, Robert Garcia became the newest addition to Joshua’s team, the man tasked with reversing the result of last year’s showdown in London and doing what no coach has done: find a way past Usyk. With Joshua’s long-time trainer Rob McCracken having stepped away from the 32-year-old’s coaching set-up, Angel Fernandez will take on a more prominent role alongside Garcia.

But make no mistake, any credit or blame for the result of Joshua’s rematch with Usyk will be placed on the shoulders – there they are again – of Garcia and Joshua, much more so than on those of Fernandez.

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Oleksandr Usyk performed a Ukrainian anthem about fighting for independence after warning Anthony Joshua he faces a continuation of the dismantling he endured in their first clash.

Dressed in a traditional Cossack outfit for Wednesday’s head-to-head press conference, the unified world champion remained on stage after he had faced off with Joshua to sing ‘Oi u luzi chervona kalyna’.

The 1875 call to arms was inspired by Ukraine’s 18th century battle for independence and is now intoned as a display of defiance in the face of Russia’s invasion.

Usyk served as a military volunteer in Kiev before being told he would better represent his nation by successfully defending the WBA, IBF and WBO titles he seized from Joshua almost a year ago.

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Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk are just two days away from their highly-anticipated rematch in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where “AJ” will look to regain his heavyweight titles from the unbeaten Ukrainian.

Last September, Usyk comprehensively outpointed the Briton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London to take the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts. In doing so, Usyk became a two-weight title holder, having previously reigned as the only undisputed cruiserweight champion of the four-belt era. The 35-year-old’s pedigree is unquestionable, and if Joshua is to dethrone Usyk, he will have to do what no man has done and defeat his fellow Olympic gold medalist.

Much has been made of Joshua’s decision to add Robert Garcia to his coaching team, and the onus is on the American and Angel Fernandez – already a part of AJ’s set-up – to draw up with a gameplan to overcome Usyk on Saturday night. Wednesday saw Joshua and Usyk involved in a tense staredown after their pre-fight press conference, while the weigh-ins are set to take place on Friday.