ANTHONY JOSHUA has nothing but respect for rival Oleksandr Usyk ahead of their massive heavyweight showdown.
Five months after Usyk stripped AJ of his WBA, IBF and WBO belts, Ukrainian hero defended his country on the front line.
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The 35-year-old southpaw slung a machine gun over his shoulder to patrol with the Ukrainian Defense Battalion, but prayed he would never have to kill a Russian invader.
Usyk, a devout husband and father of three, only left to start his training camp when wounded victims in military hospitals urged him to go to Jeddah and win the national pride rematch on Saturday.
And Watford hero Joshua32, said: “If it was me, yes it would definitely have an impact and I don’t know if it would be positive or negative.
“I don’t know how to deal with it, but I know it will be difficult.
‘I’ve never lived in such a conflict, so I don’t know how it would affect me.
“I respect one hundred percent what he’s done. It’s his house, isn’t it – you have to defend your house.
“It’s such a shame that civilians get the worst part of the deal in wars, when it’s a political issue. He’s just trying to defend his community, so I respect him.
“I think I would have done the same, not as a boxer or a warrior, but as a general person.
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“People have decided not to leave and defend their homes. That has nothing to do with being a warrior. I respect what he has done.”
Joshua was convincingly outpointed in the new Tottenham stadium in Sept.
So it was a bold move to pick up the rematch a few hours after the unanimous decision right away.
Saudi Arabia’s £80million bid to host and control the event has stalled proceedings.
The Englishman said: “We looked for suitable dates for him and his team.
“It was important for them to be ready instead of us forcing them on a date.
“I didn’t want us to say, ‘This is the date it should be’. I wanted us to work together. This is how we show compassion.
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But Joshua was also compassionate enough to bid Usyk — who suffered a 22-pound weight loss due to stress in a Kiev bunker — time to make the right decision for himself and his family.
“He wanted to join in and defend the belts. It was scheduled for about June 11, but then it changed for his and Saudi’s reasons.
“But I feel like it’s worked out for everyone in the long run now.”
WBC champion Tyson Fury, 34, is expected to jump out of another supposed retirement to face the clash winner.
The 6ft 9in Morecambe fighter has rudely rejected Usyk’s threat to him, based on his old amateur time as a middleweight.
And he has even accused the former undisputed cruiserweight king of using steroids to aid his undefeated climb into the weight divisions.
But the left-hander revealed that the Gypsy King didn’t dare insult him when they met at a show in New York in December 2021.
When reminded of Fury’s insults, Usyk said, “Of course he never said it to my face. I want to smile every time I look at him and listen to him.
“He told me very different things to my face – but I’m not going to tell you what he told me. I know we’re going to fight one day.”