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Anthony Joshua ahead of Oleksandr Usyk bout: 'I miss the days of slicing people's faces open'

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Anthony Joshua has said he wants to use his power and size advantage over Oleksandr Usyk when the pair meet in a rematch in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in August.

Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs), 32, will be bidding to reclaim his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight title belts when he faces Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs), 35, on Aug. 20. Neither fighter has competed since Usyk's unanimous decision victory over Joshua at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in September.

Despite earning a comfortable victory, Usyk sustained a deep cut above his right eye late in that fight, which Joshua seemed to take pleasure inflicting.

"His [Usyk's] hairstyle is different, and he's got a slice scar on his eye," Joshua said at a news conference on Wednesday.

"I was thinking back, I cut up a few people's faces: Paul Butlin, Usyk, I split [Kubrat] Pulev's lip.

"I just grazed [Andy] Ruiz, he doesn't count because I mean properly smashing faces in. I like that stuff, I never had a style, I just adapted.

"One of my strengths was my power but I always wanted to go down that path of being a clean boxer, 'hit and not get hit, especially if I want to have a long and successful career.

"You need to have a good defence but I moved away from the ferocious side of boxing where I knew I could hit and stun people. And I do miss the days of slicing people's faces open and hurting them, for sure. So I am looking forward to getting back to that."

The rematch in August will be Joshua's 12th world title fight since first becoming heavyweight champion in 2016 with a win over Charles Martin. However, it will be his first without long-time trainer Robert McCracken, who Joshua split from following the defeat to Usyk in September.

ESPN

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