Robert Garcia has brought the “bad guy” out of Anthony Joshua says Frazer Clarke

By Boxing News - 08/05/2022 - Comments

By Craig Daly: Frazer Clarke believes Anthony Joshua’s new trainer Robert Garcia has brought out the “bad guy” in him that is needed to defeat Oleksandr Usyk on August 20th.

Clarke feels that the 32-year-0ld Joshua is essentially a “nice guy,” and for him to be successful against IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs), he needs to be the opposite of that.

That’s not to say that Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs) will win for certain if he comes out with a different persona against Usyk. There’s still the possibility that Usyk will clip Joshua or take advantage of the situation when he fades at some point.

“I feel like [Anthony Joshua is] a nice guy. I think someone had to pull the bad guy out of him,” said Frazer Clarke to Sky Sports. “I think Robert Garcia was good to do that.

“He’s brought it out of him. This could be Britain’s greatest night of heavyweight boxing. I feel like everyone’s putting him as a massive underdog, and he might just get outboxed for 12 rounds,” Clarke said of Joshua.

I do believe he will,” said Eddie Hearn to iFL TV when asked if Joshua will knockout Usyk. “I think it’s going to be a very tough fight. Usyk is a pound-for-pound great. I believe AJ is going to do it,” said Hearn.

Promoter Hearn has pointed out many times in the last month that it won’t be the end of Joshua’s career if he loses again to Usyk. Hearn says that AJ is still young and can rebuild again.

“I think Joshua has got that champion’s mentality where he’ll dig deep. He’s got the dedication, he’ll know where he went wrong, and he’ll try and implement a game plan,” said Johnny Fisher to Pro Boxing Fans about Joshua.

“I think the more assertive you are with Usyk, the greater chance you get picked off. When Usyk fought Chisora, that’s when he had his most difficult night’s work because it’s a big brawler, awkward, comes forward.

“He’s a different fighter completely to Joshua because Joshua has got skill; he’s got his own ability. But I think he’s got to have that throwback style where he comes in and bullies him.

“It’s very hard to do. It’s one thing saying it but very hard to do. I think I would edge to Usyk still,” said Fisher.

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