Anthony Joshua Pulling Aaron Rodgers, On 4-Day Darkness Retreat

Anthony Joshua is going all Aaron Rodgers ... the heavyweight boxing star is in the midst of a four-day darkness retreat with little to no technology!

AJ recently revealed his plan to Men's Health Magazine ... telling them he was beginning the retreat all by his lonesome starting October 16.

"Four days in the dark," Joshua said in the interview. "Alone with your mind."

"By October 20th, I will be one of the coolest people, coming out after sitting for four days in the dark."

The 34-year-old explained the process ... there's no internet access whatsoever and he just hopes to have a decent bed after paying $2k (chump change to him).

"There is a door, they open the door, slide in your food on a tray, you eat. You don’t see them," AJ said.

"No phone. No TV. No radio. No audiobooks. Nothing."

Joshua -- who won his 26th fight against Robert Helenius in August -- said he's looking forward to the interesting experience with the intention of gaining more character.

Obviously, Anthony isn't the first athlete to do this. New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers sent the internet into a frenzy when he did the same thing earlier this year ... as he was contemplating his NFL future.