Anthony Joshua in ‘a difficult situation’ and needs ‘trust and connection’ with new coach after searching for new team

ANTHONY JOSHUA has been warned he is in “a difficult situation” and must find a coach he trusts and has a connection with.

AJ is on the scout for a new training team following consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk in the space of 11 months.

Anthony Joshua is looking for a new training teamGETTY

After the first, in September 2021, Joshua parted ways with long-time cornerman Rob McCracken, who led him to gold in the amateurs and pros.

He replaced McCracken with esteemed US mastermind Garcia, but following rematch defeat to Usyk, 35, the two have now also split.

Joshua toured several gyms in America towards the end of 2022 ahead of a planned comeback fight this year.

Esteemed British coach Dave Coldwell told iD Boxing: “I’ve always said that a fighter needs to be comfortable with the coach that he has got.

“Whatever we think on the outside, the fighter has got to be comfortable, the fighter fights, the fighter has to listen to instructions, come back to the corner at the end of each round, trust the coach and together they can work out how to win the fight.

“If that trust and that connection isn’t there, it doesn’t matter how great that coach is, it doesn’t work.

“At this stage of this career, it is a worry because you’re not going to come back in some eight-rounder against a journeyman. 

“You’re coming back into the deep end and again you’ve got to get used to this new coach, whoever he is bringing on.

“Whoever that is, has to understand Anthony Joshua the man and his mentality.

“Because where he is coming up to a fight and he’s asking a million people’s opinions, on how they fight him that can’t be happening.

“Where is the confidence in the work you’ve been doing all these months? It’s a difficult situation and who he should go with I don’t know.

“And this search in America, just because these coaches work well with other great fighters doesn’t mean it’s going to work with you.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn has warned Joshua is expected to return in April against a top 15 contender.

A summer rematch against Dillian Whyte, 34, who AJ knocked out in 2015 could follow before a super-fight with Deontay Wilder, 37, at the end of 2023.

Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn with Anthony JoshuaPA