Ahead of Anthony Joshua’s return to action this weekend, retired British heavyweight David Price has supported his decision to change camps. Preparing for his fight against Jermaine Franklin, Joshua has appointed Derrick James as his trainer and ex sparring partner Price thinks something needed to change to help get his career back on track.
Speaking to DAZN Bet, Price said:
“When I saw he was looking for a new trainer I just thought Anthony Joshua needs to find the right man. Someone who knows him, someone who knows how to get the best out of him, because at his age now, I don’t think he’s going to change much as a fighter. I think he is what he is, and the best thing you can do is get a team around him and bring the best out of him as a fighter and as a person.
It didn’t work out with Robert Garcia. It just didn’t work out and I’m seeing things getting said about what he was doing and saying in camp. He wasn’t happy with this and that, but he just didn’t know how to deal with AJ. It’s not one-size-fits-all. You’ve got to manage the individual and if you don’t know that fighter or get to know him enough, you’re not going to get the best out of them. I just hope Derrick James has got a feel for him as a person.”
Price, who famously dropped AJ in a sparring session in 2011, likened Joshua’s need to change camp to Tyson Fury’s move to SugarHill Steward, but isn’t sold on big name American trainers necessarily being the answer.
“He needed to change, like when Fury moved to working with SugarHill, it brought the best out of him. It’s not about big names, though. I’ve never really been sold on American trainers as being the best. There are great trainers all throughout the UK, but American trainers always have this reputation, don’t they? I don’t know Derrick James, I don’t know what his training methods are, AJ’s picked him for a reason but I just think sometimes better the devil you know. Going back to Rob McCracken, someone who maybe even had a good input with them as an amateur. I mentioned Joe Calzaghe when he was first looking for a trainer, why not? Think outside the box, he knows how to train every week and knows him as a person.”
Price warns Eubank Jnr way from Smith rematch amid rumours of Benn fight
Amid rumours that the fight between Chris Eubank Jnr and Conor Benn in back in the works, former British heavyweight David Price believes the bout is a good move for all parties but thinks the fight should be taking place in Britain.
Speaking to DAZN Bet, Price thinks Eubank is making the correct decision by avoiding going straight back to the rematch against Liam Smith, following the upset KO loss in January.
“If I was Eubank now in my experience after losing a fight like that, I’d just forget it and move on to something else. The fighter in all of us would want to put right the wrong straight away and it’s just how it is, but it was a devastating loss in every way.
It was like his bubble was burst and his confidence will be shattered after that. I think Liam Smith has just got to go from strength to strength, coming off the back of such a big win like that, so he’d be a completely different fighter going into it.”
The fight between Eubank and Benn was due to take place in October, but was cancelled at the eleventh hour due after Benn tested positive for a banned substance. Price believes the Eubank fight is the right move over rumours of Many Pacquiao, but thinks Benn should be fighting in the UK to clear his name and make the most of the PPV opportunity.
“I was reading Manny Pacquiao being mentioned and then Kell Brook fighting in America. There’s been no real clarification on what happened, there’s that document that the boxing board want to see, he needs to fight in Britain again to clear his name. He needs to be active in Britain again, otherwise it just smacks of guilt that he’s had to go elsewhere.
If he’s got nothing to hide, you should present the documents and get back fighting in the UK where his fan base is and where the main boxing fan base in the world is. The best fan base is in the UK, it’s the most passionate and the most people who would be willing to put their hands in their pocket. It’s where his bread is buttered and you’re not getting pay-per-view numbers in America or anywhere else.”