Anthony Joshua made a mistake for Oleksandr Usyk fight… because he didn’t ask me to spar in camp and I was shocked

ANTHONY JOSHUA remains the king of British boxing by mentoring young princes similar Moses Itauma who privation to instrumentality his crown.

Three years agone - erstwhile 34-year-old AJ was preparing for his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk - the 6ft 3in freakishly-talented southpaw was hopeless for sparring rounds and looked similar a tailor-made suitor.

Team AJ bizarrely overlooked the Chatham wonderkid, contempt his identical framework and akin benignant to the Ukrainian genius.

The snub near the Kent teen Itauma feeling shocked and confused.

But present the 19-year-old prodigy is portion of the aforesaid Ben Davison gym arsenic the London 2012 legend.

And they person been bumping biceps and brains successful the compact Harlow sweatbox.

Instead of overlooking oregon undermining the latest procreation of British giants looking to sound him disconnected the throne, Joshua is doing everything helium tin to rise Itauma up to his level.

The 10-0 imaginable told SunSport: "I was shocked erstwhile they ne'er asked maine backmost for the 2nd Usyk campy due to the fact that I would person loved to person been portion of that.

"I was confused by it but it’s not a question you privation to inquire a team-mate present - 'Excuse maine mate, wherefore didn’t you invitation maine for the Usyk camp?’

"I person the privilege to bid successful the aforesaid gym arsenic him present and I was connected a locomotion the different time and I was reasoning what I would telephone him now?

CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS

"And it's a mentor. Because I spell to him with a batch of questions astir boxing, successful the ringing and things retired of it, I inquire him a batch and helium ever helps me.

"I americium conscionable blessed to beryllium successful this position."

Eight years ago, erstwhile AJ’s Saturday nighttime hostile Daniel Dubois burst onto the pro country without overmuch of a elder amateur record, helium allegedly grabbed the attraction of hall-of-fame promoter Frank Warren by flooring Joshua successful Team GB sparring.

And 4 years ago, erstwhile schoolboy Itauma was popping up successful gyms each implicit the state - STILL IN HIS UNIFORM - helium was earning a fearsome estimation arsenic a babyface slayer adjacent the biggest and champion didn’t privation to enactment with.

The examination betwixt Dynamite Dan and ice-cool Itauma seems clear, but helium bats it disconnected similar a rival’s jab.

He explained: "When everyone archetypal turns professional, we each request a communicative to merchantability and that’s what they sold with Dubois, dropping AJ, oregon immoderate happened,

"My communicative is different. I person a large amateur pedigree and my sparring communicative is that from a young property I was sparring everyone.

"But I person ne'er travel retired and said I person knocked retired anyone, due to the fact that sparring stories are conscionable sparring stories, everyone has one.

ANTHONY JOSHUA VS DANIEL DUBOIS: All the accusation you request up of immense satellite rubric combat astatine Wembley

"I judge Frank Warren has said helium signed maine based disconnected of footage helium saw of a sparring league - but I don’t cognize who I was sparring with.

"I ne'er recovered retired who it was but I could recognize the communicative due to the fact that I bash good successful those spars and that’s wherever I get my assurance from.

"If I was holding my ain against guys with satellite titles and satellite rubric shots, astatine 15, present I americium 19 and I tin wonderment what I mightiness beryllium similar successful different 4 year’s time."

Watch Riyadh Season Card: Joshua v Dubois, unrecorded connected TNT Sports Box Office from 4pm connected Saturday 21 September. Find retired much astatine tntsports.co.uk/boxoffice.