Oleksandr Usyk (18-0, 13 KOs) is back with his old trainer Anatoly Lomachenko, the father/coach of Vasily Lomachenko, to get him ready for his title shot against IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (24-1, 22 KOs) on September 25th.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum reports that Anatoly Lomachenko will train Usyk for this important fight against the much bigger 6’6″ Joshua at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England.
Usyk was trained by Anatoly in the 2012 Olympics in London, in which he captured a gold medal.
For Usyk to win his next fight against Joshua, he’s going to need all the help he can get from Lomachenko because he’s fighting a guy that is much bigger, stronger, and quicker.
Moreover, the fight takes place in Joshua’s backyard in London, meaning he’ll have fan support throughout.
For the 34-year-old Usyk’s last fight at heavyweight, he was trained by Yuri Tkachenko for his 12 round split decision victory over Derek Chisora on October 31st last year.
Usyk labored to a victory in a fight that could have gone the other way if not for the 37-year-old Chisora running out of fuel in the championship rounds.
For his fight with AJ, Usyk won’t be able to count on him fading late the way that Chisora did unless he sets a mercurial pace in the first three-fourths of the contest. If Usyk sets a scorching pace, he’s going to be at risk of being knocked out.
“Egis Klimas, who is the manager of both, I talk with him, and he has talked with the father of Lomachenko, who he calls ‘Papa Lomachenko’ who was the trainer of all these Ukrainian Olympians and he’s agreed to properly train Usyk for this fight,” said promoter Bob Arum to Sky Sports.
“I’m telling you, ‘Don’t think that Joshua is in a cakewalk. He has a really tough fight with Usyk, who is a terrific boxer,” said Arum.
Joshua has no easy fights because he’s one of those Wladimir Klitschko types of fighters who brings drama each time he competes. Even in contests that Joshua is dominating, he gets buzzed by shots and gasses out for periods.
Vasily Lomachenko believes Usyk can pull the out victory, but it’s not going to be simple. Lomachenko feels that Usyk’s speed can negate the size advantage that Joshua will have in the contest.
During preparation for this week, Usyk has put on approximately 15 lbs, building up to the low 230s to give him a better chance of defeating the 240-lb Joshua.
There won’t be much of a difference in weight between the two fighters on fight night. Where the differences lie in height, reach, power, and speed of Joshua.
“Of course, I believe he can win,” Lomachenko told Sky Sports.
“He has a very big chance, but it won’t be easy because Joshua also knows what he must do in the ring.
“Joshua also knows boxing; he has also had amateur experience. It will be an interesting fight, very interesting.”
But Oleksandr is much faster