By Boxing Scene Staff
July 25, 2022
Source: Boxing Scene
Photo Source: Boxing Scene
Earlier this year, two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua was on a quest to find a new head trainer.
Last September, Joshua suffered the second defeat of his career when he was outboxed over twelve rounds by Oleksandr Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. In the aftermath, Joshua exercised an immediate rematch clause. Joshua will attempt to reclaim the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO titles when he faces Usyk for a second time on August 20th in Saudi Arabia.
In a big move, Joshua parted ways with head trainer Robert McCracken. McCracken had taken Joshua to a gold medal in the 2012 Olympic games, and he also guided him to two world titles runs.
During the process of selecting a new trainer, Joshua traveled to the United States and spent time with several top coaches - before eventually settling on Robert Garcia.
“Texas, Fresno, LA, I saw a lot of coaches everywhere before choosing my new trainer – and there were coaches that I didn’t get to see – but he was the standout. Robert Garcia is a bad boy coach," Joshua told JD Sports. “All these heavyweights are training because they want to take what you have so you have to train like you haven’t got anything. As a fighter, it’s important to stay in the gym all year round and I’ve known the fighter I’m fighting, so the approach to the fight has been leading towards the date.
“When I first turned pro, I did my first few training camps in Eddie’s [Hearn] back garden. That’s where we first started. Then, I moved to Tony Sims’ gym, for probably the first two or three fights, and then after that, I was allowed to train in Sheffield. I’ve been a pro for nine years, so for about seven or eight years I’ve been in Sheffield and this is my first time training out of there, but for 11 years, I trained with Rob [McCracken].”
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