Anthony Joshua is sparring with Thomas Carty as he prepares for his title defence against Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua is set to defend his IBF and WBA titles in addition to his mandatory WBO defence against Usyk in September. The fight was ordered by the WBO when Joshua’s expected undisputed clash with Tyson Fury fell through due to the Bronze Bomber earning a trilogy fight with Fury this July.
Usyk is a difficult opponent to prepare for as a left-handed former cruiserweight, and as another southpaw, young Irishman Carty is one of the best facsimile’s for Joshua to practise against. He has already been used as a sparring partner for Dereck Chisora before his own bout with the Ukrainian.
“Nobody has asked anything in particular of me. I am left-handed and I'm light on my feet, I utilise a lot of movement, so I naturally emulate Usyk,” he said to Sky Sports.
“You can feel the intensity of the training. Everybody is here to work. You can feel the vibe and the atmosphere.
“AJ is a gent. He's a normal bloke, nothing crazy. He's the heavyweight champion but he's just an average bloke. A really nice fella.
“I have the same goals. Iron sharpens iron.”
Carty acknowledged that his dominant hand makes him a useful sparring partner in the division, but he must work hard to make sure he achieves his goals.
“It's a tactical advantage but only if utilised properly. I don't have an extra arm or leg. But I do see the benefits,” he explained.
“So many orthodox guys have only boxed orthodox fighters.
“It makes me stand out. I'm a young, Irish, southpaw heavyweight - there are no others!”