“This guy teaches you”: how Robert Garcia can help Joshua against Usyk

In the event that Anthony Joshua defy the oddsmakers against Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night’s match-up on the sands of Saudi Arabia . And regains the WBA, WBO, and IBF heavyweight titles he lost in their first, one-sided bout this year. There might be no greater impact than the 47-year-old Mexican-American trainer charged with formulating the gameplan which was so glaringly absent last time.

“The fact that Robert is a former champion and was a fighter makes a huge difference in the way that he communicates to his athletes,” says Chris Algieri. The former WBO Welterweight champion who trained under Garcia for a number of seasons in Oxnard. “Not all fighters were high level when they competed but Robert was, so his ability to be able to communicate and use the right words to get his fighters. Whether they need to be fired up or they need to be more disciplined – he knows how to turn that extra knob to get the most out of them.”

Joshua’s total loss to Usyk last year

The relationship that they have, both in the training that’s ahead of them. And during the highly anticipated fight that is ahead is likely to be vital for Joshua’s future. Joshua’s lopsided defeat to Usyk in September of last year’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was, more than anything else, a strategic disaster. Instead of utilizing his inherent advantages of the realm of reach, height, and strength. Joshua curiously attempted to beat the better boxer before him. As the rounds progressed and Usyk held a dominant advantage on the scorecards. Joshua was harmed by a corner, unable to even think of an adjustment that would alter the single-directional traffic.

Since the time Anthony Joshua used his immediate rematch option after the match of the incident. It became clear that an overhaul was required. It meant ending his 10-year relationship together with Robert McCracken, the only trainer he’d ever met as a professional. McCracken also coached Joshua to an enthralling Olympic silver medal as head coach of the boxing team of Team GB during the Olympic Games in 2012. London Games.

Anthony Joshua was on tour throughout the United States at the end of the year in seeking a replacement and had Virgil Hunter, Eddy Reynoso, and Ronnie Shields emerging as leading contenders. He ultimately chose Garcia his renowned name has only grown over the past decade after he achieved the attention of the public after being named the trainer of the year by boxing journalists in America in 2012.

“He’s a teacher, he’s not a coach,” says Abner Mares, the champion from three divisions who was paired alongside Garcia after a string of embarrassing defeats to win the title of a featherweight in 2016. “A coach could wear gloves, appear pretty and tell you what to do But this guy is a teacher for you. He guides you. If a fighter enters his training facility. He will not want to change the way you look or what you wear. He is able to work with what you’ve got and that’s what differentiates Robert from other coaches.”

Although he’s not officially sharing the job of chief trainer along with long-time Anthony Joshua Assistant Angel Fernandez in the backroom setup. Garcia is the addition that has had the entire world talking. It’s an exciting partnership. Garcia is now a household name for training a relentless high-pressure style that is accompanied by roughhouse techniques. If executed correctly can result in demands on Usyk which were unasked for during their first encounter. Simple things like the way he leans his 6ft 6in the frame against Usyk during the clinch may at the very least make Saturday’s rematch in Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City more challenging for the clever southpaw than last year’s simple match.

Arcia won the title over 160lb

However, side, no fighters listed on Garcia’s list of world champions have ever won titles over 160lbs making him unknown status in the world of prestige boxing. Will the comparatively short three months Garcia has been spending in the company of Joshua on his current Loughborough training facility provide enough time to allow his instruction to have a lasting impact?

“It takes time for a coach to change an athlete, especially one who’s been in the game as long as Anthony Joshua,” Algieri says. “He’s a world champion, a dominant world champion. I hate the saying ‘old dog, new tricks, but teaching an established champion new stuff on short notice is almost impossible. I’m imagining that the conversations between Joshua and Robert were more important than the technique in terms of whatever kind of training they did.”

However, Mares believes that Garcia’s experience of helping fighters bounce back after defeats that were brutal and helping them regain world titles in upsets like he was able to do in the past with Marcos Maidana and Brian Viloria makes him a perfect match for Joshua who is set to go out as an underdog for an introductory time throughout his pro career this Saturday.

Mares could have known. The welterweight was just coming off of a defeat at the hands of Leo Santa Cruz. And not far from a brutal first-round defeat by Jhonny Gonzalez when he joined Garcia’s stable. The partnership paid off immediately when he wowed Jesus Cuellar to win the WBA featherweight title in their debut outing.

“It is a challenge when someone brings you a broken fighter if you want to call it that,” Mares declares. “Robert as a teacher, as a surgeon, doctor, or whatever you would like to refer to him as he repairs things, and transforms them. In the case of Anthony Joshua, I believe that more than anything is his confidence. It’s just me looking at this from the side however Robert is able to bring the focus back to the basics.

“Physically, Anthony Joshua is always 100 100%. He’s like a monster. However, it’s his mental aspect I’m hoping they’ve been working on. If he’s doing well there I’m sure the rest will be great.”

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