Anthony Joshua is one of the biggest men in the boxing world. At 6’6 feet, he is one of the tallest heavyweight title holders and his imposing physique and frame only highlight his strength. All these muscles on such a big guy must have some restrictions on the body. But the way AJ moves in the ring is just mesmerizing. He is shockingly swift and graceful in the ring, which proved decisive in his knockout victory against Francis Ngannou. The Watford-born boxer shared a bizarre routine/therapy he follows to keep that nimbleness.

A few weeks ago, Joshua shared a video of him receiving cupping therapy ahead of his fight against Daniel Dubois and the world quickly came buzzing in discussion. In a recent sit-down interview, Joshua explained the reason behind the process and how it has helped him over the years.

Anthony Joshua’s unique take on recovery comes to light

AJ spends a lot of time in the gym but he also places paramount importance on recovery as well. In a sit-down interview with Sky Sports, Joshua was asked about the cupping therapy and “What are impacts and affects” he hopes to have. The British boxer was quick to reply and stated that everyone has different benefits from cupping and explained his side of it. “Everyone’s gonna have a different opinion on what cupping does. But what I use it for is to stretch the fascia. So, I am quiet tight around my shoulder area, my trap area, my chest area, my are on the front,” revealed the 34-year-old boxer.

The heavyweight giant further claimed that he has to do this therapy so that he can feel lighter in his problem muscles. “I now have to move my arm through certain movements. It’s like you have pulled you skin in chest downwards and you look up. You will feel your neck stretching, stretching all the fascia. And that’s why I do cupping to release all the area I am tight.” This therapy is more like a massage for the boxer, as it helps him release all the tension from particular areas. This, in turn, helps him with his upper body movements.

Nevertheless, what exactly comprises cupping therapy? Let’s understand how it works.

What is Cupping Therapy?

Cupping is an ancient medicine technique that dates back to 1000 years from now. During this process, practitioners heat the cups and place them in the problem areas. As the cups cool down, it creates a vacuum, forcing the blood vessels to expand with the skin. The skin turns red and leaves painful-looking marks. People use this therapy to relieve chronic pains. However, without expert supervision, it can damage the tissues because of the expansion.

With his fight against Dubois just a week away, AJ wants to be in the best shape possible and does not want to leave anything to chance. This fight will also mark Joshua’s return to Wembley Stadium after 2018 and he has been on a great run with four consecutive wins. This all-British heavyweight world title fight has all the potential to be a world-beater if both boxers are in rhythm.

What do you think about Anthony Joshua’s cupping therapy? Is he going overboard with such excessive amounts of cups? Let us know your thoughts down below.