![Anthony Joshua (@_anthonyjoshua), Andy Ruiz Jr. (@andy_destroyer13), Oleksandr Usyk (@usykaa) [images courtesy of Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/07/d9c34-16578958868417-1920.jpg)
![Anthony Joshua (@_anthonyjoshua), Andy Ruiz Jr. (@andy_destroyer13), Oleksandr Usyk (@usykaa) [images courtesy of Instagram]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%205.625'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In an interview with Pro Boxing Fans, Ricky Funez, a boxing trainer who is close with Robert Garcia, Anthony Joshua's coach, gave insight into what Garcia had added to Joshua's training:
"He's made a lot of world champions and I trained one of them, which was Brandon Rios. But Robert has the ability and I know it's going to be a good gameplan."
When asked if he believed Joshua had the ability to beat Usyk in the rematch, as most people were writing him off, Funez stated:
"After that Andy Ruiz fight he's kind of very nervous or thinks too much. Like, if he's gonna get hit on the chin. I really do not know what to tell you about that, I just hope he's mentally all well."
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He stated that in the rematch between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr., Joshua looked extremely cautious, so it would be difficult to predict how this rematch with Oleksandr Usyk would go.
Watch the interview with Funez here:
Oleksandr Usyk was given the go-ahead to fight Anthony Joshua by injured Ukrainian soldiers
Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua will fight in Jeddah, Saudia Arabia on August 20, 2022 for the heavyweight belts. Prior to the confirmation of this matchup, Usyk had suited up and entered warzones to help fight for the freedom and sovereignty of his country, Ukraine.
The Russian invasion started on February 24, 2022, and has called many Ukrainian boxers into action, such as Vasiliy Lomachenko and the Klitschko brothers.
Usyk revealed that while he was visiting injured soldiers in the hospital that were going through rehabilitation, he was given their blessing and urged to take the rematch with Joshua.
Usyk stated:
"They were asking me to go, to fight, to fight for the country, fight for your pride and if you're going to go there, you're even going to help more for our country."
Usyk has been outspoken about needing support for his country and started his own foundation that will send all donations towards helping Ukraine in their fight against the invasion. He won the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO Heavyweight Titles from Joshua in September of last year and will now be making his first title defense.
Usyk added this collab post to his Instagram:
