ANTHONY JOSHUA’S new trainer is the first to admit his man’s preparation has been far from perfect.
No-nonsense Robert Garcia replaced Team GB mastermind Robert McCracken for AJ’s must-win world heavyweight title rematch against Oleksandr Usyk tomorrow night.
Robert Garcia is overseeing Anthony Joshua’s camp for the Oleksandr Usyk rematch
The training block has not been perfect but AJ is said to be in ‘peak’ condition
American Garcia, a former super-featherweight world champion, has been in the corner for 14 fighters landing their own world titles.
And now he is leading Joshua’s Jeddah mission to regain the WBA, IBF and WBO straps he lost to Usyk.
One of the most positive signs is Garcia’s honest verdict that the Loughborough training camp was not always plain sailing.
Garcia, 47, said of AJ: “He enjoyed the camp, we can’t say everything went perfect because some days weren’t but that is supposed to happen in a training camp.
“We have peaked at the right moment and this is the happiest he has been, so that is the perfect sign.
“There’s never a perfect training camp where every day is good. There were a few days where we had to work on stuff but he listened and corrected things and now he has to go and do it in the ring.”
Strangely, Joshua, 32, has refused to publicly name Garcia as his head coach, with unproven Spaniard Angel Fernandez also in his corner.
The Watford man said: “You have to ask them. We don’t really talk about having a head coach because there is no ego in our team. We are just here to do a job.”
Hopefully, one of the coaches had an input in AJ’s supposed 13-strong list of leftie sparring partners.
A member of Usyk’s squad told SunSport the beasts the champ has been facing in training are a different league to the group Joshua’s team brought in to mimic the Ukrainian southpaw.
And there was a glaring absence of recognisable names on the list of amateurs AJ thanked for imitating Usyk’s maverick movement on Wednesday.
Joshua admitted the decision to try to outbox Usyk in their first showdown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 11 months ago was all his own call.
The Ukrainian genius, an Olympic champ and winner of 335 of 350 amateur fights, outclassed the Englishman as he romped to a points win.
Thankfully Garcia has had Usyk in his California gym. And he knows the only way to end the Cossack warrior’s perfect record of 19 wins as a pro is to knock him out for the first time.
Garcia said: “The whole boxing world knows he can’t outbox Usyk. So we have to put smart pressure on him.
“Usyk is a very talented fighter, his combinations, he has a great jab, a great straight-right hand, right hands to the body, stuff like that.
“Instead of training to box, we have to train for a fight going forward. But we are also not going in to become a brawler, we have to do it smart.”
Critics suggest Joshua is nothing like the studious sponge he claims to be.
Garcia insists his man is no idiot though — and says if AJ gets the mix of brain and brawn right, then even Usyk will fall.
The American said of Joshua: “People underestimate how smart he is.
“But once you have been with him for a few months you see how smart, dedicated and talented he is.
“When you add a little bit more to that, make him mentally and physically ready to do damage, he’s unstoppable.”
Joshua lost on points to Usyk in their first fight last September
Garcia has been in the corner for a whole host of world champions
