Anthony Joshua has something to get off his chest.
As he nears his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, the former world heavyweight champion has repeatedly promised to “tell everyone” the story behind his shock defeat on 1 June – if he wins this time.
Wild conspiracy theories have been shot down by his team but the 30-year-old’s words mean there is little doubt he feels something sent him into their first meeting on a weakened footing.
But what could he possibly reveal? And what did the 5 Live Boxing team glean from Tuesday’s public workouts, where Ruiz showed the kind of dazzling hand speed that caught even Joshua’s eye.
Here are four key points from the fight week so far.
As Ruiz worked out under the Riyadh night sky, Joshua at one stage looked back at the ring, his smile disappearing as his rival fired off rapid shots.
Around 300 people surrounded the ring as the 30-year-old Mexican went through his repertoire and BBC Radio 5 Live Boxing’s Mike Costello and Steve Bunce were intent on not overlooking the clues they missed before that June upset.
“Suddenly, just like in New York, you realise how fast he is,” said Bunce. “He throws the left hook that troubled Joshua, it’s like lightning.
“The speed, we aren’t shocked by it now. The balance, we aren’t shocked by that now. The jabs, though, they are pulverising.”
Joshua’s physique has drawn scrutiny, with some – including promoter Eddie Hearn – stating he could “surprise people” by being lighter in order to aid speed.
Bunce saw no extreme weight loss as the Briton trained in a tracksuit, and internet speculation that Ruiz has slimmed down also appeared to be wide of the mark.
“Beneath the black T-shirt he is still carrying plenty of flab but he moves rapidly from the waist,” said Costello. “The ease of his movement and blistering speed of his punches grabs me.”
The open workouts came 24 hours after Joshua again referenced “obstacles” and how he “went wrong” in the build-up to face Ruiz at Madison Square Garden.
We know his father angrily approached promoter Hearn in the ring after the loss, increasing speculation something was amiss.
It is also understood that some in Joshua’s team were not keen on Ruiz being the late stand-in opponent after Jarrell Miller failed multiple drugs tests.
His training has also come under scrutiny and Joshua has pushed to include more boxing in his regime. At his workout, he spoke of an “evolution” in his approach.
And he has also alluded to being “drained” last time out. Could it be that this is what was actually the root of his frustrations? Media commitments and commercial responsibilities have since been tightened to reduce his workload.
It is growing increasingly clear that a series of small frustrations built up before he lost the WBA, IBF and WBO titles. Should he win his belts back on Saturday, his account of one of the sport’s most shocking defeats could be illuminating.
