Joshua Gets Commendation For Usyk Rematch

The promoter of Anthony Joshua has drastically changed his outlook ahead of his second fight with Oleksandr Usyk.

According to Eddie Hear, the two-time world champion was said to be much angrier than he was heading into his first bout with the Ukrainian earlier this year.” Joshua is still contemplating whether to change his coaching set-up, having met with some of the sport’s leading trainers during a recent trip to America,” he stated.

Hearn believes a change of scenery could be necessary for the star, having trained in Sheffield with head trainer Robert McCracken for more than a decade.

“Everything I hear from him tells me that he wants to win badly and bash Usyk up,” Hearn told BetFredTV. “I didn’t hear any of that going into the first fight. He’s angry, which is good.”

“I say we have to go rough and rugged but he’s got to have that challenger mentality in this fight and he’s got it.”

Training plans

Joshua is yet to announce his training plans after his Stateside meetings with Eddy Reynoso, Ronnie Shields, Virgil Hunter and Robert Garcia.

He has indicated that he would like McCracken to remain in place but Hearn believes he should try something new.

“No decision has been made yet,” he continued. “But I do think a change of scenery would be good for him in terms of where his training camp’s based.”

It remains to be seen if Joshua will utilise any of those new coaches, having already enlisted the help of Joby Clayton and Angel Fernandez after his loss to Andy Ruiz in 2019.

NP/Lateefah Ibrahim