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Anthony Joshua is changing up his team for the upcoming rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, who claimed Joshua's titles in their fight last September.
Mike Coppinger announced on Twitter that Joshua will hire Robert Garcia as his new trainer for the fight:
"Robert Garcia will train Anthony Joshua in England for the heavyweight title rematch vs. Oleksandr Usyk on July 23 in Saudi Arabia, sources tell ESPN. Garcia, an ex champ and trainer of the year, is revered for his game plans. AJ was trained by Rob McCracken since his pro debut"
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Coppinger, who works as a reporter and analyst for DAZN, also said:
"Love this move for AJ. Garcia will surely work with him on being the big man and using some roughhouse tactics. Besides the job he’s done with his brother, Mikey, he’s done great work with Jose Ramirez, Brandon Rios and a host of others. One of the best in the game"
Why is Anthony Joshua hiring Robert Garcia?
Robert Garcia is one of the most respected trainers in boxing. He is most well known for working with his brother, four-weight world champion Mikey Garcia. Robert was a professional boxer as well. He retired in 2001 with a record of 34-3 and won the IBF Junior Lightweight Title in 1998.
Anthony Joshua was outboxed in his fight with Usyk, who had recently moved up from the cruiserweight division. At cruiserweight, Usyk was the Unified World Champion. Joshua held the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO Heavyweight Titles until he lost to Usyk in 2021.
After his defeat, Anthony Joshua went on a tour of gyms across the United States. He spoke with and worked under a number of different trainers during this time, attempting to find the best fit. The heavyweight is also reported to have met with Eddy Reynoso, Ronnie Shields, and Virgil Hunter.
Joshua's former trainer, Robert McCracken, was criticized after the defeat for Joshua's apparent lack of a gameplan going into the fight. Furthermore, as Coppinger noted, Garcia is well-respected for his ability to create an effective ring strategy.
