Jared Anderson is ready to show the “huge difference” his new assistant trainer Prenice Brewer has made to his preparations for Saturday’s fight with Ryad Merhy.
It is at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas that the heavyweight – considered so promising he is already being spoken of as capable of succeeding Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk at the top of their division – fights for the 17th time as a professional, and where he will be attempting to make a statement ahead of a potential step up in class.
His promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, has already spoken of matching him in 2025 with some of the heavyweight division’s other leading names, and Anderson, who recruited Brewer – a career welterweight – to assist his long-term trainer Darrie Riley, believes that Brewer could even prove the reason why.
“He’s made a huge difference,” the 24 year old said. “I like his ideas. I like his IQ; I respect his IQ, as I’ve told him before. He adds well to the team, and he’s keeping me sharp. Keeping my hands tight; bringing a different look to the game.
“There was nothing that really made me want to make changes. I just want to be better. I’m putting my life on the line every time I’m stepping into the ring, so I wanna be the best I can at every fight.
“He stays on top of me about being sharp. He knows I’m good – I was good before he came on the team and everything – he just wants to add to it. It’s not like we changing anything; we just adding to what is already good; the good base we already have, and making sure I’m well-rounded. He just stays on top of me, keeping my hands tight; looking for certain shots, and adding a different arsenal of angles and defence.”
Belgium’s Merhy, 31, defeated the Olympic gold medallist Tony Yoka via split decision in December, and has already spoken of wanting to fight Lawrence Okolie next.
“It’s not really changing anything,” Anderson continued of Brewer’s influence. “More just adding on. Adding on the extra little things that he’s already had, that was coming from his game. It’s the same thing as me watching Shakur [Stevenson] – I add different things to my arsenal, watching his feet; adding different movements that he had going on in his fights; in his training.
“[Brewer] had a different type of jab, so those different types of jabs and head feints and foot feints and stuff like that to the arsenal. That should be it.”