ANTHONY JOSHUA has every chance of settling the score with Oleksandr Usyk if he carries his immense self “belief” into the ring.
The Watford warrior will bid to exact his revenge on the slick southpaw in a high-stakes rematch in Saudi Arabia next month.
Anthony Joshua will rematch Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia next moth
AJ was turned over the slick southpaw in their Tottenham tussle last September
Tony Bellew has urged AJ to carry self-belief into the high-stakes rematch
Joshua, 32, has enlisted the services of 14-time world champion coach Robert Garcia for the crunch clash after axing long-time trainer Robert McCracken.
But Tony Bellew believes the mental aspect of the fight will be the biggest obstacle for the Brit to overcome in the desert dust-up.
The former WBC cruiserweight champion told iFL TV: “He is more than capable of beating any heavyweight in the world.
“He has all the attributes and has the physical ability to beat anybody.
“He’s just got to understand and know and believe that himself. He has [the ability]. The best of him is good enough to beat anybody.
“He just has to be willing to go to the places he’s gone to in the past. I wouldn’t say belief is a thing because I do know he does believe he’s going to win.
‘But it’s carrying that to the ring. That same thought process, that same belief and following throw with your plan.
“It’s one thing saying it, it’s another thing preparing it, but it’s a whole different ball game trying to do it.”
SUN BINGO GET £50 BONUS & 50 FREE SPINS TODAY
Joshua was turned over by Usyk in their Tottenham tussle last September, suffering a lopsided points defeat to the undefeated Ukrainian.
But the Golden boy of British boxing is confident of taming The Cat second time around – much like he did in his 2019 rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr.
He said: “With Andy Ruiz, I think people could see things weren’t 100 per cent but you have to be strong and thick-skinned. We took our loss like a man.
“When I win I keep it moving and I thank everybody you have to be the same in defeat. I knew I could come back again.
“Usyk bust my a*** and I have to take that defeat like a man as well.
“But I hold myself accountable, I can admit when I am wrong and hold my head up high when I am right.
“In the fight in September I was wrong and he was right and I have to reverse that on August 20.
“I have a second chance, when I was young I was getting in trouble and got a second chance and found boxing.
“If you know me and my story you know I am the comeback king.
“You can put me down but not keep me down. Even in my tough times I know everything will make sense in the long run.”
