Oleksandr Usyk’s team have warned Anthony Joshua the Ukrainian maestro was at just ’60 or 70 per cent’ when he conclusively outclassed the former heavyweight champion.
Usyk replicated his success at cruiserweight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in September by dethroning Joshua via a wide points decision.
The Ukrainian had flattered to deceive in the pro ranks at heavyweight before that, looking slower and more sluggish against Chazz Witherspoon and Derek Chisora.
However, the 34-year-old was simply electric in north London and nearly got Joshua out of there in the final round as he pressed the Brit against the ropes.
With a rematch booked in for the first part of 2022, advisor Sergey Lupin has warned ‘AJ’ his star pupil still has a tremendous amount left in the tank and could be even better when they fight again.
“I have known Oleksandr for more than 20 years,” he told MyBettingSites. “I have been there and seen all of his successes in boxing.
“One thing that sets him apart is he processes information and adapts to the fighter in front of him very, very quickly. It sometimes seems to me that he is from another planet – he is that good.
“Despite the fact that he has a huge amount of experience and fights behind him, he is constantly improving and getting better every training day.
“I have seen and know what Usyk is really capable of, and the version of Usyk in the fight with Anthony Joshua was 60-70 percent of his potential. So yes, Usyk can really be better.”
