Anthony Joshua needs to get a big broom and sweep out his trainer Rob McCracken and replace him with a strict disciplinarian in Teddy Atlas to try and save his sinking career.
Joshua needs the old coach Atlas to read him the riot act to change him back to what he was in the past because McCracken isn’t going to be able to shock him back to the fighter he was years ago.
Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs) has now lost 2 out of his last four fights, signaling that the situation is dire for the big 6’6″ former IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion. ‘
If it wasn’t already painfully obvious that coach McCracken needed to be royally dumped by the 2012 Olympic gold medalist Joshua after his knockout loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2019, it’s clear that he needs to go now after AJ’s embarrassing defeat to Oleksandr Usyk last Saturday night.
While Joshua values loyalty, he can no longer afford to be that way because his career is heading towards oblivion. I mean, Joshua and his risk-taking promoter Eddie Hearn have already made up their minds to take the immediate rematch with the newly crowned IBF/WBA/WBO champion Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs) in early 2022, and that fight is likely to be a train wreck for AJ.
It’s not too late for Joshua to get a clue and dump McCracken in favor of Atlas.
“Sometimes you need something different [for a trainer]. Teddy Atlas, I think you’d agree, is the opposite of [coach] Rob McCracken. He’s someone that would yell and scream and dictate a different style of fighting. I think that’s what Anthony Joshua needs right now,” said Chris Mannix to Jabs on DAZN about Joshua needing to dump his long-time trainer Rob McCracken.
“Anthony Joshua doesn’t need anyone yelling at him; he’s not that type of fighter,” said Sergio Mora. “You see how he is in the corner. He likes to control everything from the press conferences.
“I’m sure he likes to say his peace in the camp, but you don’t yell at guys like that. I hated being yelled at. My trainer never yelled at me, in the camp or in the corner.
“Some fighters need that, and some fighters need that drill sergeant. I don’t think Anthony Joshua needs that kick in the butt or anyone yelling at him.
“That’s not his temperament. He just needs a game plan, he needs his confidence, and he needs to trust his trainer, and he has that with Rob McCracken. It’s just that he [Joshua] had the wrong style match-up [against Oleksandr Usyk]. Get back to the drawing board and come back with a new strategy,” said Mora.
“God, you are so, so soft. ‘He doesn’t want to be yelled at.’ Nobody likes to be yelled at, but sometimes getting yelled at is exactly what you need,” said Mannix.
“Stop yelling at me,” said Mora.
I hate to say it, but I don’t see Joshua willing to give McCracken the boot yet, which is unfortunate because he’s heading for an inevitable defeat if he sticks with his old amateur coach.
If Joshua wants to be kind to McCracken, he should keep him on in a secondary role while letting Atlas take the lead to put his foot under his backside.
It’s time for Joshua to hit the nuclear button on his career because he’s heading Palookaville fast with how he’s losing. Hearn should be helping the process, not resisting it, by gently letting Joshua know that it’s time for a change.
Some fighters can’t change unless their coaches give them the tough love, which Joshua needs. Let’s be honest. Joshua isn’t improving from the fighter that Ruiz Jr. blasted out in June 2019.
Joshua is getting worse, and if he keeps heading in the direction he’s going, he’s going to be finished.