The redemption and revenge of Anthony Joshua against Andy Ruiz Jr. is down to two major factors, according to new trainer Angel Fernandez.
Joshua boxed his way to becoming two-time heavyweight champion in Saudi Arabia on December 7.
Fernandez believes the pre-fight harmony in camp, coupled with regimental sparring was the recipe to give Joshua the tools to complete a famous win.
Explaining how things went down, Fernandez opened up to WBN in the aftermath.
“It was a team effort,” Fernandez exclusively told World Boxing News. “From day one, the day we moved to Sheffield or when camp first started in London the first couple of weeks. The third week I think we went to Sheffield we just sat down – the coaches together – we watched the fight of Ruiz and put the points together.
“We just asking the people around, what do you think? – Would you change anything? What that person could bring. We went from there.
“The whole training it was based on those points, how we felt we were going to beat Ruiz and the whole of sparring everything.
“Once I saw the fight, and I was there in the corner watching the fight, I actually saw Joshua doing like a sparring session because he was nailing absolutely everything that he was doing in sparring.
“I remember telling him, ‘I said listen, this is going to be another sparring session but different opponent’.”
BLUEPRINT
On how Joshua executed the plan, Fernandez added: “Wow, what a performance. Oh my God, I still cannot think if that was real or not. Very good. A very intelligent fight.
“For twelve rounds, Anthony was very very disciplined. He was very focused. Never at any given moment in there or in the camp did he feel the pressure. We always kept talking very positive.
“The whole team from the nutritionist to the chef, everybody. It was such good vibes to be around those people.
“Normally, you don’t get that in big teams of 15 or like 20 people. You’re always going to have someone that doesn’t get on with that person or that person. But the vibes, I think Joshua felt that as well.
“The good atmosphere between everybody and Joshua himself. I think all of it played a part in his performance on that Saturday night.”
As Joshua basks in the glory of his achievement, the top division is now readying for the official announcement of Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury II.
Once the trilogy saga plays out in 2020, Joshua could be on course to face the winner in the summer of 2021.
