Anthony Joshua’s one-time coach, Robert Garcia, is happy that the fighter has found a trainer who is guiding him well.
Garcia, who currently trains two-weight world champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, linked up with Joshua following his loss to Oleksandr Usyk with one task – get the unified heavyweight titles back in a rematch.
The pair were unsuccessful in the form of a split decision loss, and now Joshua is in comeback mode under new trainer, Derrick James.
He has two wins under his belt against Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius – the calibre of opponent Garcia told Little Giant Boxing he should be facing.
“Another thing that they’re doing which is the perfect thing is picking the right fights. Don’t go in there right away against Tyson Fury or Wilder or the third fight against Usyk. No. Get two or three of [the fight fights.]”
It’s something Garcia says he was particular keen on when working with Joshua. He went on to reveal an exchange with the Brit’s team in the immediate aftermath of the second Usyk loss.
“We told them … Send him to the States, get prepared in the States.
Rudy [Hernandez] told them straight out after the fight – ‘all you guys are yes men.’ Rudy’s not afraid. He told them in the locker room after the right.
To his crew he said ‘you guys need to get him [AJ] out of his comfort zone and get the right fights. He’s got so much talent, so much potential, but get him to a training camp where he’s gonna be focused, he’s gonna have rules.'”
Following that exchange in the dressing room, Garcia would fly back to the US and ultimately be informed by the two-time champion that he was looking elsewhere for a coach. He said Joshua is ‘a great person’ and wished him the best under James.