TLDR
- Anthony Joshua is training with Oleksandr Usyk’s team in Spain ahead of his December 19 fight against Jake Paul
- Jake Paul has brought in heavyweight sparring partners including Jared Anderson, Frank Sanchez, and Lawrence Okolie
- Joshua and Usyk worked together but did not spar because Paul is not a southpaw fighter
- Usyk is not expected to be in Joshua’s corner for the Paul fight but may be present for future championship bouts
- The fight is scheduled for eight three-minute rounds with Joshua capped at 245 pounds
Anthony Joshua Training Camp Details Emerge Before Jake Paul Fight
Anthony Joshua has joined forces with former rival Oleksandr Usyk’s training team as he prepares for his December 19 bout against Jake Paul in Miami. The 36-year-old former two-time heavyweight champion confirmed the partnership at a recent press conference with Paul.
Joshua has been training in Spain with Usyk’s team after finding London too distracting for his preparation. The British fighter praised Usyk as one of the best in the world and credited his team for their intense training methods.
Sergey Lapin, Usyk’s friend and business partner, explained that Joshua reached out to the Ukrainian’s camp seeking new solutions to take his boxing to the next level. Lapin described the training setup as a structural system with a head coach, assistant, and several specialists each responsible for their part.
Despite training together, Joshua and Usyk did not actually spar with each other. Lapin explained the decision made sense because Paul is not a southpaw fighter like Usyk. Instead, the focus was on sharing experience during the preparation process.
Joshua stated that his head coach for the Paul fight will be “Igor,” though it remains unclear who specifically he was referring to. Yuri Tkachenko is Usyk’s longtime trainer. Ben Davison, who was previously linked to training Joshua, supported the move to join Team Usyk.
Paul’s Heavyweight Sparring Partners
Jake Paul has assembled an impressive roster of heavyweight sparring partners for his training camp. The 28-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer has been working with Jared Anderson, who holds an 18-1 professional record.
Anderson has been linked to a final IBF heavyweight eliminator fight. The winner of that bout would become the mandatory challenger for pound-for-pound number one Oleksandr Usyk.
Frank Sanchez, Anderson’s rumored opponent for the eliminator fight, has also been spotted training in Paul’s camp. British heavyweight champion Lawrence Okolie has provided additional sparring rounds to help Paul prepare.
The fight will take place as a professional heavyweight contest with eight three-minute rounds using 10-ounce gloves. Joshua cannot weigh more than 245 pounds at the weigh-in the day before the fight.
Future Plans and Championship Ambitions
Usyk may appear in Joshua’s corner for future championship fights according to Lapin. The Ukrainian advisor suggested that Usyk’s presence would be reserved for title bouts rather than the Paul matchup.
Joshua has not fought since his brutal defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024. Dubois dropped Joshua four times en route to victory. The former champion has been sidelined for most of 2025 due to injuries and underwent elbow surgery.
Joshua is set to earn £70 million from the Paul fight. He plans to use the bout as a way to get crucial minutes in the ring before a planned February return.
The British fighter remains linked to a long-awaited all-British showdown with Tyson Fury. Joshua hopes to face Fury next summer if he comes through his next two fights unscathed. Both Joshua and Fury have suffered losses to Usyk twice in their careers.
Paul enters the fight with a 12-1 professional record with seven knockouts. His most recent bout was a decision victory over former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in June. Last year, Paul defeated boxing legend Mike Tyson in a heavyweight bout when Tyson was 58 years old.
