At the pre-fight presser for his so-called tune-up against Kristian Prenga this weekend, Anthony Joshua made his intentions clear: “The goal is to conquer the universe, right? But first, we must conquer Earth.”If Earth is Prenga, then the universe has to be Tyson Fury. While Joshua hit the nail on the head, the point raises a few questions. Will the conquest of Fury be as easy as it appears?

As the boxing world searches for answers, AJ, it seems, has already received a few hints. The former unified heavyweight champion found the help he needed from his former rival and now mentor, Oleksandr Usyk. Having shared twenty-four rounds with Tyson Fury, the Ukrainian former champion appears to have the insight AJ needs to defeat the Mancunian when they meet, tentatively, in November. While working out together, Usyk explained to AJ how Tyson Fury’s own book helped him beat the Gypsy King.

“You know why I speak: ‘Don’t be afraid, I will not leave you alone’? I read [Tyson Fury]’s book,” Oleksandr Usyk told Joshua. “I read (his) book. When [Fury] was young, he said, ‘Hey, when my father go and work, I am afraid. We stayed home alone.’ Every time I read book, ‘Oh, okay.’ I, you know, psychology, yes, [he’s] afraid. Because [Fury] every time (he) needs to like show… show people.

“When you pressure ego, yes… You know, second round, maybe first round when [Fury] stayed in the corner and he’s like, ‘Come on, come on.’ First round, I know it’s dangerous because hands are long, boom. Yes. I say, ‘Okay, wait.’ After six rounds, seven, or eight, because you’re not fast, you tired, I say, ‘Okay, okay. Come on!’ You know this is good. Every time, ‘Come on.’ Boom. Every time!”

Here, Usyk is outlining the strategy he employed when facing Fury. To beat Fury twice, Usyk knew he needed more than his physical skills. He also had to understand the man standing across from him. Usyk, as it appears now, didn’t rely on his fists alone. Fury’s book became a timely source of insight. The work Usyk was referring to was likely “Behind the Mask: Tyson Fury, My Autobiography.” Published in 2021, the book won the Telegraph’s Sportsbook of the Year award.

The book provides in-depth details about Fury’s journey through professional boxing, the highs and lows, including the period when he was at his mental lowest point and was later forced to take a break that lasted almost three years before making a comeback.

Fury’s willingness to open up his personal struggles, as Usyk suggested, likely gave Usyk a window into his psychology. That transparency could become a vulnerability if an opponent knows how to use it, like in Usyk’s case.

Personally, Fury may not have always wanted the level of superstardom often associated with boxing’s heavyweight championship. But the former WBC titleholder has a well-documented history of using social media to call out rivals and build up fights and rivalries through frequent outbursts.

Those moments have also revealed a side of Fury that can appear to seek validation from the public, which is what showed when they fought the first time around. Fury spent the opening rounds showboating against Usyk during the first fight in May. However, having studied Fury closely, he likely knew that the Gypsy King was looking for validation from those in the crowd.

But the same would not work deeper into the fight, and Usyk knew if he pressured Fury into the later rounds, he’d get tired, which is exactly what happened. By the 8th round, the Brit was struggling to keep up with the Ukrainian. And once fatigue had set in and the showboating disappeared, that is when Usyk could turn up the gear and mount his offense, which is what he did.

Oleksandr Usyk’s lessons, Tyson Fury’s next test: What Anthony Joshua can learn tonight

The idea of a fighter reading an opponent’s autobiography and using it to understand his psychology may be unusual in boxing history.

In boxing, or for that matter, across the combat sports landscape, prominent fighters have rather relied on eyewitness reports of their team members embedding themselves in the training camps of their opponents to gain key tactical and technical information.

While there is no reliable evidence to prove it was true, the most famous example is often associated with Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman’s “Rumble in the Jungle.” Before the famous fight took place, stories about Ali’s close associate and business manager Gene Kilroy secretly observing Foreman’s training circulated.

Regardless of how he got the info, the point is that in the end, Oleksandr Usyk managed to successfully use inside info on Tyson Fury and his psychology to outpoint him on the two occasions they met in 2024. The first fight, on May 18, was a tightly contested affair where, despite scoring a knockdown in the ninth round, Usyk won only by split decision.

The second fight, however, left no room for doubt as Usyk dominated Fury over twelve rounds to secure a unanimous decision win. Those two meetings gave Usyk a firsthand lesson in how Fury, despite his formidable reputation, responds under pressure and how he approaches a fight when his opponent refuses to give him the space he wants. This is a crucial bit of information that could serve Anthony Joshua well when they meet later this year.

However, the more significant question in AJ’s case is whether he can transfer the knowledge he gains from Usyk when he gets in the ring with Fury.

The words of a fighter who has already defeated an upcoming opponent, however, can only carry so much weight. AJ cannot expect Fury to fight the same way he fought Usyk. Given the consummate professional that the Mancunian is, he may have made adjustments to refine his techniques and tactics.

For AJ, a better approach would be to study how Fury fights Mariusz Wach tonight at Pattaya’s Max Muay Thai Stadium.