By Robert Segal: Trainer Manny Robles believes that Anthony Joshua should have stuck with his previous coach Robert Garcia rather than quickly dumping him after just one fight against Oleksandr Usyk.
Robles feels that Robert Garcia never had a chance to implement his style with Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs) by him sticking it out.
Moreover, Robles feels that Robert had it tough with Joshua fighting the talented IBF, WBA & WBO heavyweight champion Usyk in their first fight together rather than taking a tune-up, so they could have a better chance of success with the things he taught him.
With Joshua now having gone to Derrick James as his new coach, Robles isn’t sure whether this is going to work because it takes time to change a fighter.
The way Joshua keeps dumping trainers, there’s a possibility that he won’t be able to improve enough for him to have the success he wants.
“When Anthony Joshua was with Robert [Garcia], Robert couldn’t have had it any harder facing Usyk, facing one of the top fighters in the heavyweight division. So he didn’t have it easy,” said Manny Robles to Fight Hub TV.
“It would have been nice for Robert to work with Joshua and maybe get a tune-up fight or a couple of tune-up fights before going into the Usyk fight. He didn’t have that. He had no choice but to fight the great Usyk, the masterful boxer technician. He didn’t have it easy.
“So, he didn’t have time to implement his style on Joshua because it was too fast, too soon, and too quick. On the other hand, with this new coach [Derrick James], he’s going to potentially have a tune-up fight.
“It’s not going to be as hard as a fight with Usyk. Although there’s no such thing as a tune-up fight, really, or an easy fight, if you will. He didn’t have it easy for Robert.
“It would have been nice for Joshua to stick with Robert for another fight or so, and by the way, Joshua showed a lot in that second fight against Usyk. He went to the body, which is something he’s not accustomed to doing. He did better. He fought a better fight the second time around. Unfortunately, he came up short, but it was a lot closer than the first fight.
“I don’t know what they’re thinking, but I would stick with Robert. I would stick with Robert and give him an opportunity to implement his style, and you might see a bigger change in Joshua. Derrick James is a great trainer, and now he’s got to start all over again.
“He’s a great coach, and he’s proved it time and time again. As a matter of fact, in my humble opinion, he should have been trainer of the year. Again, he came up short. He’s got Charlo, and he’s got Errol Spence, Frank Martin. They didn’t give it to him but well deserved.
“Derrick James is a great trainer, but when you keep jumping from one coach to another, you got to start all over again. At this level, I don’t know,” said Robles about Joshua.
