Nigerian-born world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Olaseni Oluwafemi Joshua has already returned to the ring, as he prepares for the next phase of his career in the ring, with a busy 2020 looming ahead of him, megasportsarena.com reports.
Although it was only last Saturday that ‘AJ’ regain his world belts from Mexico’s Andy Ruiz Jnr, after winning their rematch in Saudi Arabia, the British heavyweight is not wasting time to get back into training, as he already has two challengers lined up for the coming year.
The 30-year-old pugilist has already been ordered to face his mandatory challengers for both the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) belts, which means he has to fulfill their dates against Oleksandr Usyk and Kubrat Pulev respectively next Spring.
This means ‘AJ’ already has his hands full even before the year ends, as he also wants to become the undisputed world heavyweight king in 2020, with big bouts against Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder already looking overdue for the two-time WBA, WBO and IBF champion.
With all these at the top of his mind, ‘AJ’ was quick to return to the gym only four days after his victory over Ruiz in Saudi Arabia, even as he gave himself a delicacy of a calorie-heavy meal after a tough workout to set his next training regime in motion on Wednesday.
Such it was that the London 2012 Olympic Games gold medalist’s strength and conditioning coach, Sina Ghami posted footage of ‘AJ’ performing shoulder rolls, while other members of his crew hit the weights, after which they shared a meal with meat, salad and pasta on the menu.
In a video posted on social media, ‘AJ’ Joshua was seen lifting weights with his trainer before tucking into a big meal, as he sets about becoming undisputed heavyweight champion in 2020, but it is not just about pumping iron, but also filling the belly with the right nutrients, so his first day back in the gym and a rigorous session was shortly followed by a big meal for the team.
The champ slimmed down for the Ruiz rematch and his plan worked pretty well on Saturday, as he was smart, elusive and boxed smartly for the full 12 rounds to leave ‘ The Destroyer’ chasing shadows and losing his grip on the heavyweight crown.
Joshua opted to cut down on the carbs before his rematch with Ruiz, in a bid to come in lighter and better conditioned to last the full 12 rounds against the Mexican but, after lifting weights on Wednesday for the first time since his revenge against Ruiz, ‘AJ’ also has time to relax for now.
Incidentally, Joshua’s next title defence against Pulev or Usyk is set to be decided before this year’s runs out, with the two-time champ’s promoter, Eddie Hearn saying the IBF and WBO are expected to agree a ruling in the coming days.
Hearn also revealed how Pulev could be the frontrunner, as the IBF’s mandatory challenger, while the WBO has also told for Joshua to face their own contender, Usyk, within 180 days and the body’s president, Paco Valcárcel told Sky Sports how talks will hold between the parties.
However, the IBF hopes to reach a resolution for Pulev to firstly receive a guaranteed title shot as the governing body confirmed it is holding a consultation with the WBO and a final decision is likely to be reached within a week.
Despite getting first mention in the wake of Saturday’s rematch, Usyk may have been pushed to the background, as Joshua acknowledged that a fight with Pulev is back on the agenda, after the Bulgarian was forced to withdraw from a mandatory title fight through injury in October 2017.
Joshua told Sky Sports: “He comes from a great background of amateur boxing and comes from a boxing family, his brother boxes as well. He’s soon to be one of my mandatory challengers.”
