AJ right to take warm-up before Fury, says their former trainer

The proposed heavyweight blockbuster between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury has been one of the most anticipated fights in British boxing history, and now a former trainer of Joshua has weighed in on the debate about preparation.

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Speaking exclusively to tournaments.com, the trainer who worked with Joshua during his early career emphasized that having a warm-up bout before facing Fury is the correct approach. "AJ is absolutely right to want a fight before facing Tyson," the trainer stated. "When you've been out of the ring for a while, ring rust is a real factor. You can train all you want in the gym, but nothing prepares you for actual competition like being in the ring with another fighter."

Joshua hasn't fought since his victory over Otto Wallin last December, and there have been concerns about his readiness for such a high-stakes bout. The proposed December date would give Joshua approximately 11 months without competitive action if he enters the ring without a tune-up fight.

"The Fury fight is too big to leave to chance," the trainer continued. "AJ needs to shake off any cobwebs, test his timing, and get that fight sharpness back. A one or two-round knockout in a warm-up fight would do wonders for his confidence heading into December."

The December bout between Joshua and Fury is expected to be one of the biggest sporting events in British history, potentially breaking pay-per-view records. Both fighters have expressed their desire to finally make the fight happen after years of negotiations.

"AJ respects Fury enormously, but he's not going to walk into that ring unprepared," the trainer added. "This is about giving himself the best possible chance to win. A warm-up fight shows intelligence, not weakness."