Anthony Joshua sees his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk as a huge opportunity to recover his boxing prominence.

Anthony Joshua isn’t lying that adjustments weren’t needed in his camp if he’s to recover three major world titles in his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk on Aug. 20.

This is rather similar ground for Joshua, who lost all of the same championships to Andy Ruiz Jr in one of the biggest upsets of the last few years in 2019.

Ruiz, on the other hand, is not Oleksandr Usyk, therefore in addition to employing Robert Garcia as his new primary trainer, Joshua tells ESPN that he is driven to restore his position in the sport:

“I feel when I go and beat Usyk, I’ll get the credit I deserve again. And I’ll get the admiration for being a true boxing legend. … I fought for the heavyweight championship in my 16th fight; I felt like it’s kind of overlooked.”

Joshua went on to explain that while he’s still a popular boxer making a lot of money, what he really wants is respect.

Respect is not always easy to come by, and Joshua is preparing for what he expects to be another difficult battle — but one he believes he can win.

“I’m not just gonna go in there thinking it’s gonna be easy. I will address the weaknesses and then I’ll make sure I get it right and become champion again. I think it’s a task that’s definitely possible.”

Almost everyone feels that Joshua will have to change his game plan from his previous bout with Usyk, in which he attempted to outbox a master boxer. That didn’t work either.

Will Joshua, on the other hand, be ready and able to put up a more physically demanding, bruising performance this time around to tip the scales in his favor? We’ll know for sure before summer comes to an end.

Anthony’s career as an amateur:

Joshua, a latecomer to the sport, began boxing in 2007, at the age of 18, after his cousin encouraged it. Derek Chisora, a professional heavyweight, also trains at Finchley ABC in Barnet, North London. Joshua won the Haringey Box Cup in 2009 and 2010. Joshua also won the senior ABA Championships in only his 18th fight in 2010, and afterwards turned down a £50,000 contract to turn professional. “It was simple to turn down that £50,000; I didn’t take up the sport for money; I want to win medals.” He went on to win the same competition the following year.

His domestic performance won him a spot on the GB Boxing squad in 2010, and later that year he defeated Amin Isa to become British amateur champion at the GB Championships. At the 2011 European Championships in June, he defeated Germany’s Eric Brechlin 23:16 and Ireland’s Cathal McMonagle 22:10 before being halted by Romanian southpaw Mihai Nistor after numerous standing counts. The Boxing Writers Club of Great Britain honored him Amateur Boxer of the Year in October 2011. Joshua has a 40–3 amateur record.