Footage has emerged of Anthony Joshua arriving at a £2,000 darkness retreat where he spent four days alone in a pitch black room.
The style of retreat has previously been done by other sporting stars, such as NFL player Aaron Rodgers, and is thought to be a method of meditation to help athletes be alone with their thoughts.
On Monday, Joshua revealed on social media that he would be spending four days in darkness to be ‘isolated with nothing to do except relax and clear the mind while being immersed in infinite darkness’.
He emerged on Friday, with videos now surfacing of the heavyweight boxer entering the retreat.
Stepping into a pitch black room with nothing but a bag of clothes, AJ smiled as his friend jokes ‘nice and dark for you’.
Anthony Joshua spent £2,000 to spend four days entirely alone in a pitch black dark room
Joshua believed he would come out of the process without being bored due to the power of ‘the subconscious’ mind
The heavyweight has now been pictured entering the retreat for the first time earlier this week
He was then recorded sitting outside as his friend said: ‘I’ve never seen you look so lost. You’re just sitting there, waiting for your time to come and chill away in this little hut.’
AJ replied: ‘There’s times when I ask myself this question like why did I put myself in this situation? But… this is where lions are made!
‘What I’m trying to do is showcase myself. There’s not much I actually need, just myself.’
Sitting around a campfire later in the night, AJ’s friend admitted that he wouldn’t be there without him as they embarked on their four-day retreat.
This comes after the 34-year-old previously claimed that he regrets not focusing on the mental side of boxing in the past.
He told Men’s Health earlier this month that he used to think boxing was ‘all physical’ in his career. ‘Wake up, get on with your day, train,’ he said.
AJ spent the time away from his phone in a small, pitch black room, as he revealed he wanted to show that he only needs himself
Joshua emerged on Friday, with the room said to help with relaxation and processing thoughts
‘After losing fights, you question yourself and start realising the mental side is as important.
‘I would have been more disciplined, reflecting on how his career may have gone if he’d considered mental health more earlier on in his career. I don’t know if that would have made me better, but I would have done things more professionally.’
This led to him embarking on the retreat, as he discussed what he expected to gain from the experience, saying: ‘There is so much stored in the subconscious,
‘What’s the worst that can happen? The worst is death so if it doesn’t do that, all good.
‘I said to them I was a bit scared and he said that’s a good thing. By October 20, I will be one of the coolest people, coming out after sitting for four days in the dark.’
He is yet to break his silence since having his four days away from social media and his phone.
It remains to be seen as to what is next for the British boxer, who beat Robert Helenius back in August.