Clip Shows Anthony Joshua Practicing His ‘MMA-Style’ Kicks at the Gym

After having made a mark in the boxing realm, it seems like Anthony Joshua is polishing his MMA skills. It is highly certain that he will stick to his favorite sport, however, his recent training videos have prompted fans to probe if the fighter is making a transition into MMA.

Ever since his victory over former MMA fighter, Francis Ngannou, in March this year, ‘AJ’ has picked up momentum in the heavily competitive heavyweight division. Last year, all three of his wins pulled him out of the slump he’s been entrenched in, losing his world title to Oleksandr Usyk in the 2021-22 season. While he basks in the glories of these wins, he also spends time exploring another format of combat in the gym.

Is Anthony Joshua an all-rounder?

On Instagram stories, the Londoner posted videos of him testing his kicks in the gym. He can be seen taking calculated, slow kicks toward his training partner. In the following video, he was caught focusing on his core strength with the help of a gym ball. These visuals, coupled with another video that had emerged earlier, underscored his interest in trying different avenues of combat. Snippets of these sessions were posted by an MMA insider, sparking buzz on his X handle.

In another video that went viral, the 34-year-old fighter was seen yet again training in MMA style. Without boxing gloves, the fighter mimicked the kicks and jumps that his trainer taught him. With an enthusiastic smile on his face, his dedication and interest in expanding his horizons as a fighter emerged explicitly. The visuals were rooted in an MMA thread on Reddit.

While these videos give an insight into him as an MMA fighter, his promoter, Eddie Hearn, further highlighted his future trajectory in the boxing scene.

Where does AJ go from here?

In the wake of his resurrection- of sorts in the heavyweight division, there are now expectations that AJ might grab the titles he lost. On May 18th, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will fight in Riyadh to crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era. Once their face-off takes place, Joshua can challenge whoever wins among them. On this front, Hearn provided a crucial update.

During an exchange on iFL TV, the head of Matchroom Boxing explained, “He’s always ready, he’s not down the gym right now going, ‘I wonder if I’ll get the call. I hope I get the call.’ We don’t work off short notice ’round here. But we f***ing stay ready! Do you understand me? And ‘AJ’ is the most consistent performer I’ve ever seen in the sport. He could fight next Saturday. His dedication to the sport, his professionalism, unbelievable. As I said, we stay ready ’round here!”

Do you think AJ could do great in the MMA realm? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Also Read: Oleksandr Usyk Harbors No Hard Feelings Against Anthony Joshua for His Infamous Meltdown