As the heavyweight boxing world reflects on Anthony Joshua’s dominant victory over Jake Paul in Miami on 19th December 2025, attention has turned to the preparation behind his return to the ring.
The two time world heavyweight champion secured a sixth round knockout at the Kaseya Center in a Netflix streamed event, marking the end of a 15 month layoff following his knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024.
Joshua, now 36, made notable changes to his preparation. He trained in Spain, working with elements of Oleksandr Usyk’s team in Valencia to sharpen his conditioning and focus ahead of the high profile bout. During the camp, a portable cold water therapy system from Monk, a wellness company in which Joshua is an investor, accompanied him throughout training.
Portable cold therapy used throughout camp
The Monk Nomad & Shiver system is designed for athletes seeking performance and recovery support while travelling. Cold water immersion is widely used in elite sport to help manage muscle fatigue, stiffness, and exercise induced muscle damage following intense training.
Research involving athletic populations supports these uses. Meta analyses suggest cold water immersion can speed up fatigue recovery, reduce markers of muscle damage such as creatine kinase, and improve neuromuscular function in the hours and days after high intensity exercise. Systematic reviews have also reported reduced muscle soreness and improved muscular power up to 24 hours after demanding sessions.
Monk reports similar findings from its work with powerlifting athletes, suggesting regular cold exposure may support faster neuromuscular recovery and greater readiness for repeated physical demands.
Focus on mental resilience
Joshua has previously spoken about the psychological role cold exposure plays in his training.
“For me, ice baths are about mental resilience as much as they are physical recovery,” he said. “Monk is a wellness innovation that helps me be a better athlete and human. In Monk there’s no crowd, no opponent, no noise. Just my will to withstand, to adapt, and overcome. The cold is where I find what I’m really made of.”
That mental focus was considered important in the build up to the bout, which drew global attention by matching Joshua’s elite boxing experience against Paul’s growing profile in crossover boxing.
Laura Fullerton, Founder and CEO of Monk, said the company was created to make recovery an active process rather than a passive one.
“Monk was built around the idea that recovery isn’t passive, it’s a practice,” she said. “Seeing Anthony integrate cold exposure so consistently, both at home and in camp, reflects exactly why we created Monk, to support people who take their performance, focus and resilience seriously, wherever they are in the world.”
Cold exposure becomes a routine tool
Cold therapy is increasingly used as part of structured recovery routines across professional sport. While it is not viewed as a standalone solution, evidence suggests it can help manage inflammation, support circulation through vascular responses, and contribute to mental clarity.
Joshua’s use of a portable system during his training camp highlights how recovery practices can be maintained consistently across locations. As he looks ahead to potential bouts in 2026, his approach reflects a broader trend among elite athletes towards combining physical recovery with mental conditioning through accessible training tools.
