Anthony Joshua is anticipated to return to the ring in 2023 however there are considerations over his comeback already. The 33-year-old British heavyweight boxer is claimed to have break up together with his coach Robert Garcia and is reportedly constructing a brand new crew in the US.
Sounds acquainted does not it? The will not be the primary time AJ has sacked his crew. He break up from his long-term coach Rob McCracken following his first defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua’s bout with Usyk passed off on 25 September 2021 on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. AJ went into the battle feeling assured he might win however the Ukrainian boxer received by unanimous choice.
Anthony Joshua has reportedly break up from his coach Robert Garcia forward of his return
AJ instantly exercised the rematch clause in his contract and launched into a Stateside tour to search out himself a brand new teaching crew following the humbling defeat.
He hung out with Virgil Hunter, Ronnie Shields and Eddy Reynoso however determined to associate with Garcia – who’s a highly-decorated Mexican-American coach with a listing of world champions on his CV.
Joshua had excessive hopes for his partnership with Garcia however it appeared as if the pair by no means actually clicked. The 33-year-old British boxer got here up quick in his rematch with Usyk – dropping by way of break up choice in Saudi Arabia.
Eddie Hearn (proper) has introduced that Joshua (left) will return to boxing within the spring
Feelings have been evidently operating excessive after the battle as Joshua threw two of Usyk’s belts out of the ring and onto the ground. He then headed for his altering room earlier than storming again to shake Usyk’s hand and steal the microphone.
He went on an expletive-filled rant, discussing the battle, his profession and the disaster in Ukraine. Joshua additionally led the sell-out crowd in Jeddah by ‘three cheers for Usyk’ earlier than highlighting his astonishment at Ukrainian fighters having the ability to produce title-winning performances in the course of the warfare in his house nation.
Considerations over Joshua’s psychological well being mounted after his outburst – with the likes of Tony Bellew leaping to his defence.
Shortly after the incident, Joshua revealed he could be taking a while away from boxing and instructed his followers he would return to the ring in 2023.
Hearn additionally revealed Joshua break up with coach Garcia (proper of AJ) and is seeking a brand new crew
However Joshua failed to say he could be returning to the canvas with a totally new teaching crew in his nook.
Hearn confirmed the information when talking to Behind The Gloves: ‘No, he’s good. He’s out in America in the intervening time engaged on his new crew.
‘He’s getting that collectively after which we are going to get an opponent sorted and the date is just about locked in. It’s just about sorted and we’re trying ahead to seeing him return.’
WHY IS JOSHUA SPLITTING FROM GARCIA SO SOON INTO THEIR RELATIONSHIP?
Joshua made it clear he needed to be a ‘free spirit’ and that he did not need to be ‘locked down’ with the identical coach for an additional ’11 years’.
He stated final month: ‘I stated to Robert and the crew as effectively, I need to be a free spirit. I locked myself down for 11 years with one coach and now I simply really feel like I simply need to study as a lot as attainable. As a result of, actually, if you recognize me carefully, what it’s is, it is not the coach, it is concerning the fighter, what he has up right here [in your head].
‘I really feel like I am ready the place I will work with anybody. So who is aware of what is going to occur subsequent 12 months? So, when it comes to Robert Garcia, thanks for asking. I respect him lots. He is a very good man, a very good coach. Would I work with him once more? Yeah, I might.’
Joshua made it clear he needed to be a ‘free spirit’ and that he did not need to be ‘locked down’
DID JOSHUA AND GARCIA EVER SEE EYE-TO-EYE?
AJ is claimed to have had his fair proportion of variations with Garcia and the pair didn’t at all times seen ‘eye to eye’ within the build-up to the Usyk battle.
Talking to Behind The Gloves about AJ’s relationship with Garcia, reporter Gareth A. Davies stated: ‘I’ve heard they have not seen eye to eye the entire time.
‘It is a new relationship. Within the second relationship, you are working by issues. That is all actually excellent news for me. They’ve been engaged on his confidence. Change the momentum from the primary battle as a result of it was the improper recreation plan to try to field Usyk.
‘Be aggressive, be soiled, push him round, shut down the house, let your palms go, however clearly with educated strain. Usyk is aware of what Joshua goes to do. He’ll let his palms go a bit extra and be extra bodily with him.
Joshua is claimed to have had a rocky relationship together with his coach, in line with reviews
‘He is not going to face off and try to jab him and shut the house in that approach. Usyk is up towards a formidable Adonis, who has very heavy palms, a much bigger, heavier, stronger man.
‘So, he is getting ready for that, and I believe he is eager to perhaps ending the battle as effectively and battle fireplace with fireplace. He is aware of he is acquired the tough abilities to do it. He must be sturdy in there.
‘Possibly he does not need to go 12 rounds this time. I do not purchase he is 20 kilos heavier, however he definitely seems to be thicker across the torso and stronger,’ stated Davies about Usyk.’
DID GARCIA GET ON THE BAD SIDE OF AJ FOLLOWING THE UYSK DEFEAT?
Joshua {accused} Garcia of ‘revealing his weak point’ following of his rematch with Usyk in August 2022.
Garcia was quoted saying: ‘Throughout that ninth spherical, within the nook [we] have been telling ourselves we had the battle.
‘Oleksandr Usyk got here again stronger. I’ve even thought in these previous few days that it was Joshua who mentally defeated himself.
‘Joshua was mentally defeated since spherical ten or 11. Spherical ten was a giant one for Usyk. That modified the entire battle, and mentally we have been defeated.’
Joshua {accused} Garcia of ‘revealing his weak point’ following of his rematch with Usyk
Garcia defended his feedback when talking to ESNews, saying: ‘I spoke to a Spanish reporter that I do know so I gave him somewhat interview, however from Spanish translated to English, they make it look like, ‘Oh, Robert is speaking s***’, just about.
‘I would not say that about my fighters, man. I’ve by no means finished it earlier than and I by no means will. The headline is, Robert says Anthony mentally beat himself however I by no means stated that.
‘I stated that Usyk after being harm actually dangerous within the ninth he got here within the tenth like that by no means occurred, he got here sturdy which you have to applaud that.
‘In order that’s not saying ‘oh, Anthony was beat mentally’. Usyk got here again sturdy and dominated these three rounds.
‘I stated, ‘Look, Usyk being the winner, the champion and Anthony grabbing the belts that is disrespecting the champion’.
‘However Anthony was pissed off. F*** he hates to lose. He got here again and apologised and every little thing was good.’
Joshua suffered his second straight defeat to the Ukrainian boxer (above) in August 2022
DID AJ EVEN WANT GARCIA IN THE FIRST PLACE?
Joshua admitted to giving Angel Fernandez the duty of choosing his new coach forward of the Usyk rematch.
Joshua went into the rematch with a brand new teaching crew after parting methods with McCracken- who helped information him to an Olympic gold medal and change into the unified heavyweight title holder of the world twice.
Talking about his choice to associate with Garcia, Joshua instructed Behind The Gloves: ‘He is [Garcia] skilled, he is educated a whole lot of fighters earlier than. He will get you throwing punches, he is aware of the large stage and that type of stuff.
Joshua admitted to giving Angel Fernandez the duty of choosing his new coach
‘Away from what I considered Garcia, I fee all of the trainers I went to see together with him. I stated to Angel, my head coach in London, ‘Are you able to select who you need to work with’.
‘Angel needs to be comfy working with Garcia and Garcia needs to be comfy working with Angel to ensure that them to offer me one of the best.
‘I simply cannot suppose Garcia is sweet however Angel does not like him and I am making an attempt to make that relationship work. These two get alongside effectively and it is labored rather well.’
Joshua continued: ‘They should acquired to do strategic planning, sparring opinions when they’re watching it.
‘They have to take a seat down lots collectively so I assumed it is vital for Angel to make the choice of who he needs to work with.
‘Angel determined Garcia was good and I agreed, I stated ‘yeah man, I am down for that’ and it has been an excellent relationship.’
WHO COULD JOSHUA LINK-UP WITH NEXT?
AJ’s earlier tour of the US noticed him go to a number of candidates, together with Canelo Alvarez’s coach Eddy Reynoso and Joshua Buatsi’s coach Virgil Hunter.
Is anticipated to go to the identical trainers this time round and has already been pictured working with Hunter in Los Angeles.
AJ might additionally link-up with boxing legend Roy Jones Jr – who has labored with Chris Eubank Jr for his latest fights, although he wasn’t within the equation for his cancelled bout towards Conor Benn.
The 53-year-old mentioned a possible partnership with AJ on Thursday final week. He instructed talkSPORT: ‘He is not [looking to tie himself down], he is not. He is come to speak to me, too, so I will be a type of guys speaking to him and we’ll see what occurs.
‘We spoke the opposite day, so we’re gonna discuss. He’ll come to the health club and see what we do. If it really works out effectively, that’ll be it. If it do not, he can go on and discover a higher coach.’
Check out the coaches AJ had been linked with in 2021 right here.
