Anthony Joshua maybe in for a tough fight against Oleksandr Usyk next month – and it looks like the Ukrainian is going to drag him into deep water after it was revealed he swims for up to five hours per session.
Joshua and Usyk will go toe-to-toe once again in their rematch in Saudi Arabia on August 20 after the latter dominated their first bout at the Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium last September – winning via a unanimous decision.
There were fears Usyk would have to pull out of their second fight after his country became engulfed in a war with Russia, with the former cruiserweight champion heading to the front lines to fight for Ukraine.
But he was urged to return to the sport and make a statement by his fellow soldiers – and he has restarted his training regime in a typically brutal fashion. His former opponent Dereck Chisora told of how he discovered his incredible workout routine in the pool when visiting a bathhouse.
Chisora will fight Kubrat Pulev this weekend as he looks to bounce back from three straight losses but was blown away by Usyk after meeting him during his own preparations for his bout.
“I was just about to leave the Russian bathhouse that I go to when I am tired and hurt from training, and the owner told me to wait because he had a surprise,” he said.
“I sat down and all I heard was ‘Derek, Deeeerrrrrek’, like he kept saying during the build-up to our fight.
“I started talking and laughing with him and I told him he looked tired.
“He told me he had just finished swimming for five hours.
“I told him he was lying, he couldn’t swim for five hours,” he added.
“But his trainer told me it was true and then showed me a video of him in this huge Olympic pool just going up and down for five hours,” he said.
Usyk has used swimming as a way to get into shape for years and his trainer Anatoly Lomachenko – the father of lightweight boxer Vasyl – has encouraged him to undergo 10k open-air swims and also prepares underwater exercises for his fighters.
Vasyl can famously hold his breath for four and a half minutes – with the goal to get a boxer to reach their cognitive and physical peak in order to stay sharp in the ring and throw combinations freely.
Usyk has also been seen doing some unusual prep and exercises before his fights – including juggling during his open workouts.
His highly-anticipated fight against Joshua will see the pair compete for the WBA, WBO and IBF world title belts, with the winner likely going on to face WBC belt holder Tyson Fury – despite his threats to retire – for the chance to become undisputed champion.
