Anthony Joshua's new coach Robert Garcia told the former heavyweight champion that he needed a major attitude shift before the pair could team up.
According to ESPN , the Brit will be cornered by the famed trainer for his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia this summer. He met with Garcia during a trip to America immediately after his loss to Usyk, as well as Ronnie Shields, Eddy Reynoso and a host of other coaches.
And Garcia has insisted to Joshua that he must be given total control of the camp if the duo are to work together effectively and make the Watford native a three-time heavyweight champion. Joshua was initially trained by Rob McCracken, but has split from his old coach after losing the heavyweight titles for a second time, his second loss in four fights.
Speaking with Boxing King Media back in December, Garcia said: "If Anthony hires me as a trainer, he's the main guy. But if he hires me, I'm the boss and he's going to do what I tell him to do.
"You're going to train the way I want you to train, and you're going to follow instructions. If you're not, then choose somebody else. I think Anthony is more talented than both Usyk and Fury. They're great fighters. Usyk had a great win, he's a great style, he's difficult and Fury is the man at heavyweight right now. But I still think that Anthony Joshua has more skills and when you're talking about skills he's got to believe in himself.
"He's got to believe that his skills are good enough to beat both of them, and he's got to do it. He needs to say, 'Maybe I could take a punch from those guys, but they won't be able to take my punches,' you've got to have that mentality. I've been working with so many other fighters that have that same problem, you've got to change that, you've got to change their mentality and the way they think. You can't be nice in the ring."
Do you think Anthony Joshua will become heavyweight champion again by beating Oleksandr Usyk? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
And Garcia believes that a drastic overhaul was needed after watching Joshua be comfortably outpointed by Usyk. His corner came in for criticism for telling him he was boxing well, even though he was clearly dropping rounds, during their London meeting last September.
Joshua is expected to bring Garcia to the UK for his training camp, although he isn't ruling out the possibility of spending some time in America to prepare for the rematch. It was set to take place in Saudi Arabia on July 23, but may now be delayed into August.
“Talent wise I think he's the best heavyweight, he’s very talented," Garcia explained. "But he needs to be in a place in a gym with other trainers with other fighters that are going to push him. He needs to change his attitude with me. He cant get hit and smile.
"You know that happened with him against Usyk in the last round. He is getting hit and smiling. You know he is giving credit to his opponent. You've got to be mad, because you are getting hit. He needs to have that mentality, that killer instinct. It sounds bad to say but in the ring you want to to hurt your opponent.”
