Trainer Robert Garcia has given his opinion on the profile of UK boxers amongst US fans – and believes many popular British fighters are next to unknown in the States.
Garcia, who trained Anthony Joshua for his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, stated that despite the commercial draw possessed by many Brits in their homeland, it simply doesn’t match up in America.
Speaking with ESNEWS, Garcia said:
“There are so many UK fighters that are f***ing popular, that could do 20,000 in a UK arena. But the next day, over here [in the US] nobody knows who they are.”
“Nobody here knows who they are, but they’re very popular over there.”
Conquering America has been something that many top UK fighters have tried and failed to do, with Amir Khan and Prince Nasseem Hamed two of the few Britons to translate their huge UK profile to commercial success in America.
Anthony Joshua’s fight with Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019 was planned to be his explosive introduction to the US market. This famously backfired, however, and Joshua has not fought in America since.
As for Garcia, it remains to be seen whether he will continue to work with Joshua as he looks to bounce back from defeat to Usyk in Jeddah. The trainer, alongside the rest of AJ’s team, came under heavy criticism for failing to intervene and prevent Joshua’s post fight speech – described by some as a “meltdown.”
The crown jewel in Garcia’s stable is Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodrguez, who looks likely to face Christian Gonzalez for the vacant WBO world flyweight title, with the fight ordered last week. If the bout with Gonzalez takes place and Rodriguez is successful, he will become a three-weight world champion aged just 22.