By Boxing Scene Staff
August 29, 2022
Source: Boxing Scene
Photo Source: Boxing Scene
Veteran trainer Robert Garcia understands the reaction by Anthony Joshua in the aftermath of losing his rematch to WBO, IBF, IBO, WBA heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
After being on the losing end of another twelve round decision to Usyk, the British star threw two belts to the floor and left the ring.
Joshua would then grab the live mic and went on a four minute rant that was filled with profanity. “When that happened, I was not close to him," Garcia told Izquierdazo. “I don’t exactly know how it happened. When he grabbed the belts, I believed that he wanted to greet Usyk, and deliver the belts himself, recognizing Usyk as the champion or something like that. But then I saw that he went to a corner, and threw them to the floor. I saw a little bit of a lack of respect." But Garcia feels Joshua quickly realized how wrong he was and tried to mend things.
“When he came back to the ring, he apologized," García said. “We knew and he knew that it was wrong. I think it was desperation, as if he didn’t want to accept that he lost the fight. But in the dressing room, when we were speaking, we understood his frustration.
“I feel that he was trying to look for an excuse with the people who were supporting him. Any fighter can feel the same. He exploded, and acted in a way that he shouldn’t have behaved like that. But it was something that he understood at that very moment, he came back to the ring, apologized, and then everything had a good ending."
The trainer describes what he saw in Joshua in the dressing room, minutes after his loss in the ring.
“When he was in the dressing room, changing clothes, I could see his frustration”, Garcia remembers. “He couldn’t believe that he lost. He didn't want to lose, of course, I know him, he didn’t want to lose. He was still upset, but we were able to relax him a little bit.
“Eddie Hearn entered the room to be with us, and one thing that I liked was that Anthony quickly told him that he wanted to fight again, and do it soon. He told Hearn that he wants to fight in November. Hearn replied that he can arrange a fight for December, not November. But Anthony answered that he wants to fight as soon as possible, because he doesn’t want
to be seen as a loser. He said that he wants to be back soon and win.
“It was something that I liked in him. Regularly, after a tough fight like this one, a fighter wants to rest four, five, or six months, doing nothing. And then, resume training to fight eight or ten months later. Anthony wants to fight again in November, but Hearn wants December. I think December is better. For me, that is the attitude of a great warrior. I liked that he thinks that way. If the fight is in December, there is not much time left, just four months. He can rest for a couple of weeks, but we will keep training, and be in better form for December."
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