The name on everybody’s lips today is Anthony Joshua. Ahead of the biggest fight of his life against Wladimir Klitschko, the heavyweight champion’s training regime stepped up a notch – and we spoke to his trainer and the man himself to get the lowdown on just what it takes to become a world beater.

Eat Properly

It takes a lot of fuel to power a frame like AJ’s. While the standard calorie intake for a man is 2,500 calories, Joshua regularly consumes up to 5,000 a day – a choice he credits with his physique.

“My diet helped me add power. Before, I didn’t really eat enough, I’d just eat normally. But I’m burning so much, the body needs more fuel. It’s just common sense. Today, I’ve already eaten twice and it’s not even lunchtime.”

Fast Facts

Fasting doesn’t always require whole days of your life. AJ’s strength and conditioning coach Jamie Reynolds sees him do it in the gym every day. “He does fasted cardio before breakfast. It helps build his fitness and burn fat, without the risk of food hampering his development. We start really early, so it would be hard for him to eat breakfast beforehand – and you should always leave a decent amount of time between eating and training.”

Live The Life

You don’t become the best by slacking off, and Joshua’s dedication to his training is serious. “I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I always go to bed early. Put a camera on me for 24 hours a day and you’d see how dedicated I am. I really do live the life.”

Reynolds confirms this: “He gets up at 6.30am and finishes training at 8pm. Then he goes to bed to allow his muscles to repair. It’s the way it has to be to see the results he’s seen.”

Feel The Burn

All pain, all gain is the name of the game when training as intensely as Joshua. “I’ve gone past the stage of pain in the gym. It’s a mental barrier, rather than a physical one. You have to push yourself to think ‘how can I improve from yesterday?’, and use the pain as a motivation.”