Oleksandr Usyk returns to ex-trainer for Anthony Joshua heavyweight title fight

Oleksandr Usyk has reunited with former trainer Anatoly Lomachenko ahead of his upcoming heavyweight world title fight with Anthony Joshua.

Lomachenko is one of the most highly respected trainers in boxing and is the father of Vasyl Lomachenko, one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in the world.

Vasyl’s promoter Bob Arum shared the news of their reunion in a recent interview with Sky Sports, and claimed Anthony Joshua is in for a “really tough fight with Usyk.”

"Let me caution you something because even though I don't promote him, I consider him a really good friend and that's Oleksandr Usyk. The reason I know him so well is he is the best friend of Vasyl Lomachenko.

"Egis Klimas, who is the manager of both, I talk with him and he has talked with the father of Lomachenko, who he calls 'Papa Lomachenko' who was the trainer of all these Ukrainian Olympians. He's agreed to properly train Usyk for this fight.

“His father wouldn't train anyone else, but he will train Usyk because Usyk is like family."

Usyk was trained by Yuri Tkachenko for his most recent bout against Derek Chisora, a contest he won via unanimous decision.

However, ahead of what is surely the most important fight of Usyk’s career so far, ‘Papa Lomachenko’ has agreed to train the former cruiserweight champion, as he did during the 2012 Olympic Games when Usyk won gold.

Do you think Anthony Joshua will defeat Oleksandr Usyk in their upcoming heavyweight title showdown? Let us know in the comments section below.

The bout, expected to take place on September 25 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, is arguably going to be Joshua’s toughest test to date.

Usyk is considered by many to be one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world having previously defeated the likes of Tony Bellew, Derek Chisora, and Murat Gassiev.

Joshua will certainly still be the favourite going into the bout, following his solid last outing against Kubrat Pulev as well as his significant size and power advantage.

However, it goes without saying that Usyk is far from a mere stepping-stone towards an all-British unification bout with Tyson Fury.

Anthony Joshua is set to face former cruiserweight king Oleksandr Usyk in a bout set to take place on September 25 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. It will be Usyk’s third bout at heavyweight and Joshua’s WBA, IBF and WBO belts will all be on the line.

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