Ricky Hatton has weighed in on Anthony Joshua’s training situation, and claims ‘AJ’ should have never parted ways with long time mentor Rob McCracken.
McCracken had worked with Joshua since his Team GB days, before the Brit elected to go with Robert Garcia ahead of his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk last August.
And Hatton claimed that McCracken would have been able to prevent Joshua’s post fight antics, for which he was on the receiving end of heavy criticism.
Speaking to Mega Casino, Hatton said:
“There was no reason for AJ to leave McCraken. Nobody knows him better than Robert McCracken, he’s been there with him from the Olympics, he’s been there with him for his first world title, so nobody knows him better than Robert.’
“I was a little bit disappointed with his last team because when he got beat by Usyk, poor Anthony, he looked like he was having a bit of a breakdown in the ring. Your job as a coach is not just to do what those 12 three-minute rounds and when the final bell goes, that’s it your job’s done. No, your job is to look after your fighter until he leaves the venue.”
“Rob would have controlled the situation, all day long. But no, he let him chuck the belts over the ring, storm around the ring, scream and moan, and then get the mic and do all that. I could’ve nearly cried for him. He was having a really bad time with it.”
The former unified world champion has decided to change coaches once again, parting ways with Garcia despite spending just one camp under the American’s guidance.
Although there has been no official confirmation, it appears Joshua will be relocating to Texas and working under Derrick James ahead of a comeback fight in April.
James was the Ring Magazine trainer of the year in 2017, and currently boasts the likes of Errol Spence Jr and Jermell Charlo in his stable.