Anthony Joshua underwent a gruesome-looking cupping therapy session after a gruelling week of training.
The pseudoscience treatment creates a local suction on the skin with the application of heated cups.
Practitioners claim it can treat lower back pain, poor appetite and anaemia but it also used by several athletes as a recovery tool for muscular fatigue.
Pools of blood form in the cups as fluid is drawn from the area, leaving swollen red marks.
The treatment is said to be painless if carried out correctly although fans were left wincing at a video of Joshua undergoing the procedure.
Taking to the comment section under Joshua’s post on X, captioned ‘Plant with success’, One fan wrote: “This should be painful.”
Another tweeted: “Huh bro I’m eating.”
A third posted: “This just made me itch!”
Somebody else added: “My goodness that must be painful!”
Meanwhile, a fifth supporter remarked: “This is creeping me out…What are those?”
Joshua’s next fight is expected to be announced on Wednesday at a launch press conference for the upcoming September 21 Riyadh Season card at Wembley Stadium.
AJ is set to headline the bill with Daniel Dubois being the frontrunner to share the ring with him this summer.
Joshua recently took to social media to confirm that negotiations for his next fight ‘are nearly finished’ while he will be hoping the fight is for the IBF world title.
Oleksandr Usyk currently holds the belt and is expected to be stripped of the title as he is unable to answer the IBF’s mandatory order due to his contracted rematch with Tyson Fury.
However, the Ukrainian slickster has filed an exception to try and keep hold of the strap for his second fight with Fury on December 21.
The IBF are still yet to cast their final verdict at the time of writing but if they reject Usyk’s plea then the belt should be placed on the line between interim champion Dubois and No.3 ranked Joshua.
