Alexander Povetkin is clearly putting himself through the pain barrier at the moment ahead of his shot at Anthony Joshua next month at Wembley.

Russian Povetkin is highly regarded in the division and is ranked as high as the third best heavyweight in the world by some.

Although he’s getting older now the training he’s been doing these past few months and staying consistently slim displays just how much this opportunity means to him.

He knows it could be his last shot at the big time.

Joshua has been susceptible to the left hook in the past, too, which Povetkin throws superbly. There’s plenty of things in Povetkin’s game that could more than upset the UK man.

The Russian’s only loss was a points defeat to Wladimir Klitschko and he’ll be banking on his experience and game plan being enough to take Joshua out.

Following some of his early training rounds with unbeaten heavyweight Daniel Dubois from the UK, a bruised-faced Alexander Povetkin has clearly been pushing himself for Joshua as evidenced here:

No stones are being left un-turned and despite all the take about Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury at the moment and Joshua’s chance to get the winner next year, he knows he can’t look past someone as dangerous as Povetkin.

Not even for a second.

The fight next month on September 22nd will be shown live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK.

(Photo credit: World of Boxing Twitter)