Former two-time unified world boxing heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua is back on the comeback trail with a string of three wins since losing his titles to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and failing to regain the belts in a 2022 rematch. Impressively, his recent return to form has the fighter climbing the rankings once again. But in order to be considered championship material, “AJ” will first need to get past the MMA-turned-boxer, Francis Ngannou in their clash on March 8 in Ryadh. Here is a look inside the Brit’s fight-camp in Saudi Arabia, thanks to the Brit’s Instagram account.
Working with Weighted Plates
With the lower half of his body in the ring, AJ shared an intense image of him performing a type of back extension while holding a weighted plate. For a boxer, strengthening the lower back and erector spinae muscles is a great way for a fighter to develop good posture. The increased weight will provide extra activation for the glutes and will further strengthen AJ’s core. Bolstering the back is essential for injury prevention and will give the 6” 6” athlete a fierce foundation.
Punching with Dumbbells
AJ knows that “The Predator” is a heavy-hitter, and he will have seen the newcomer take Tyson Fury to the limit in his pro debut. For his part, Joshua has knocked-out 27 of his 30 opponents. In Saudi Arabia, he is working on his striking success by using the ‘Overload Principle’ and adding weights to his punches. This method trains the body to work against a greater resistance. The extra load stimulates muscle growth and strength, and will provide him with a greater potential for force once he is in the ring and only wearing gloves.
Box Jumps
“Moving in the direction of my dreams,” explained Joshua of his love of box jumps in a video that he has shared via his account. AJ will likely be repeating this exercise in his current fight camp since this is a plyometric task that develops explosive power. The former champ will need this in abundance if he going to take out Ngannou at “Knockout Chaos” on March 8. The ability to generate rapid power while punching upwards could be the key to
his success. Also, landing from a box jump develops stability and rock-hard quads, meaning that he may be able to withstand any onslaught that comes his way.
Swimming & Recovery
Chilling in the pool, Anthony Joshua shared via IG that taking a dip in the pool is “My guilty pleasure… Resting,” and while resting in a crystal-clear pool in Dubai is a great way to take some well-earned downtime, spending time in the water is also an essential training and recovery method for his chosen sport. For resting, water can have a mind calming and muscle soothing effect, promoting relaxation, recovery, and reducing stress. And, should he desire to complete a few laps, AJ will be working his muscles and heart in a low impact way.
Juggling
While juggling may seem like a fun way to escape his upcoming do-or-die bout, juggling is great for sharpening those cognitive skills. Hand-eye coordination is one of the most important skills that a boxer needs in order to target and hit his opponent within a split second. Juggling will improve AJ’s decision making, and his ability to adapt under fire. Let’s just hope his highly anticipated bout with “The Predator” doesn’t descend into a circus.