Anthony Joshua’s unbelievable precautions to avoid coronavirus in training camp

Anthony Joshua has taken "super high level" precautions within his training camp to make sure that his fight with Oleksandr Usyk still goes ahead.

Boxing has lost a number of high-profile fights this summer with Tyson Fury's heavweight title trilogy with Deontay Wilder and Conor Benn's recent planned bout with Adrian Granados both moved due to positive covid tests.

It appears than Benn was more cautious than Fury, but he still managed to catch the coronavirus, which caused him to be removed from his headlining spot on week one of Matchroom Fight Camp.

But Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has assured fans that he will make it to fight night on September 25 having seen his training set-up, which includes a number of steps to ensure the safety of their team.

“You've got to take precautions," Hearn told the DAZN Boxing Show. "AJ, if you go up to his camp, it’s super, super high level, and the precautions they take, very high high-end – Usyk I believe the same.

“I know that AJ has previously had COVID and still has antibodies, and I think I’m not sure if Usyk has."

Fury's bout with Wilder was set for July 24, but after an outbreak in his camp the fight was called off and moved to October 9, with the venue still set for the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

But the Manchester native was spotted just days after taking photos with fans in Las Vegas, and has since returned to the UK where he recorded a recent episode of The Lateish Show on Channel 4.

Hearn has insisted that due to the concern around the spread of coronavirus, Joshua won't be doing those sorts of appearances, having previously confirmed that the first press conference between he and Usyk won't take place until fight week.

"But again, at that level, like you’re not going to see AJ doing any public appearances or games or a show, or just, you know, just hanging around people," Hearn continued.

"He’s locked into camp, and I’m sure we’ll be just fine.”

Joshua was initially penciled in to face Fury on what would have been this weekend in Saudi Arabia, but due to an arbitration case brought by Wilder, a trilogy fight was ordered instead.

The pair had signed contracts to fight on August 14 in a purpose-built stadium similar to Joshua's rematch with Andy Ruiz, but the event was cancelled in favour of Fury-Wilder 3.

And Joshua was immediately ordered by the World Boxing Organisation to face mandatory challenger Usyk, with a September 25 date at Tottenham Hotspur stadium eventually booked in by Hearn and Matchroom.

Usyk is a legendary cruiserweight champion, who unified his division with wins over the likes of Mairis Briedis and Tony Bellew, as well as victory in the World Boxing Super Series.

And he and Joshua both made their names on the world stage as amateurs at the London 2012 Olympic Games, winning gold at Heavyweight and Super-Heavyweight respectively.

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