AJ warns Usyk intimidation tactics won’t work after Ukrainian searched Wembley crowd for heavyweight champs

ANTHONY JOSHUA warned Oleksandr Uzyk that intimidation tactics won't work as he towers above him on Saturday.

He warned him that he was next after the 34-year-old Ukraine southpaw outpointed Derek Chisora.

He was there to witness Joshua's victory over Alexander Povetkin at Wembley Stadium 2018, staring into his eyes as a comic villain.

The WBA, IBF, and WBO king at 6ft 6in is 2 inches taller than the former undisputed champion cruiserweight champ and 3 stone heavier than him. He says that all mind games won't matter when they enter the ring.

AJ replied to a question about the awkward Halloween meeting: "It wasn't a bad moment."

"I saw him in flesh and I saw things. I was telling Del that he should throw things. But it's so different when you're in there in front your opponent.

He has seen a lot of my fights, but when I'm in front of him it will be a completely different ball game.

Usyk tried to gain two stone of muscle since his move to the heavyweight division, and it seems to have led to him losing some of his speed and footwork.

Watford Adonis is a particularly sleek, defined fighter for this fight. However, he will still be a 17st powerhouse with nearly all of his physical attributes in his favor.

He is tired of hearing how Usyk's brain and brawn are fighting for the title.

Joshua said, "If it were just that, I wouldn’t be motivated to get up, to train, put the yards in to fatigue myself mentally and physically, and then to recover in six to seven hours to do it all over again the next morning."

"The positive affirmations and deep practice are key to success. These are all things that make a fighter - it's more than being big.

"You can see that I have devoted myself to improving at a deeper level. If it were just about being large, then I would go in the ring and knock him out within 20 seconds.

"Every opponent should be beaten by the first punch. Over the years, I realized that it wasn't about that. It's about timing, angles, setting punches up and concentration. Understanding what's coming back is key to outclassing your opponent in all of those areas.

Follow your A, Bs, and Cs to get your KOs.

AJ and his team spent seven months training and planning for the Tyson Fury challenge, but the Gypsy King was forced to fight in a third Deontay wilder bout.

Refocusing on a leftie at 6'4" has required a lot of hard work, long hours and painful training sessions. He sounds strong enough to tackle the challenge even though he has one hand on his back.

He said, "It's more than training to be fit. It's about getting better and discovering who you are."

"I have sparred where I was restricted to my left hand, while my southpaw opponent can do what he likes.

It was very challenging. Although it was challenging, I couldn't use my power or size to do this. You can bring out your best by putting yourself in vulnerable situations.