Comments Thread For: Robert Garcia Says Anthony Joshua Needs To Train in The US, 'Get Out of Comfort Zone,' To Improve

[Kannabis Kid]

Yes, I remember reading some articles during fight week that Garcia might not have had the head duties during camp. But, I thought for sure on fight night he was be the voice. Others knew from the jump that Garcia wasn't going to be able to do much because they know AJ was going to set the rules regardless. But can you see a Steward type just being OK with all that during the heat of a HW championship fight?

I don't think anyone can tell AJ what to do at this point, he has so much money and no more fire.

[ShoulderRoll]

I used to regard Garcia as a solid, intelligent trainer. My opinion has changed. Anybody who said he was the wrong trainer for AJ because he only trains little guys is absolutely right. Why the hell does Garcia keep bringing up Bam Rodriguez when he’s talking about the former heavyweight champion of the world?!? Does he think these two are going to spar? Does he think AJ gives a flying f**k about Bam Rodriguez or Josh Franco? AJ sh.its bigger than those guys. AJ still has plenty to learn in this game, but he’s not going to learn it from Robert Garcia.

Bam Rodriguez is an elite level fighter. Jose Ramirez is a former world champion. Josh Franco is a world champion.

Garcia's point is that it would do Joshua a lot of good to be in the gym around guys like that. So he can see how hard they work, absorb some of what they do well and in turn share some of what he does well.

You can learn a lot by taking the time to teach and break things down for others.

Iron sharpens iron and a team of hungry, high level fighters rub off on each other. That's a better environment for Joshua than being in the sterile confines of Sheffield wearing flip flops with all his friends running around, don't you think?

[Southpaw16]

Respect to Garcia for sticking with Jose rather than go to England, that’s a big pay cut.

[bullydean]

I doubt he thinks he is already the best. He's just lost twice and is trying to make changes to his setup so clear he knows he's not the best and is trying to make improvements. I do think maybe Joshua thinks he's smarter than he is though.

As for getting out of his comfort zone? It's difficult say because different people respond differently to different approaches. Some people respond well to a kick up the ass and being taken out of their comfort zone. Sone respond better from an environment where they feel comfortable and positive reinforcement. I don't know which approach would get better results from Joshua. What I will say though is that from what I've seen and heard Joshua seems like he might be the type of person that you need to explain things to so that he agrees that this is the best course of action. Doesn't seem like the type who will just blindly follow orders and do as he's told.

His post fight rant is what makes me think he already believes he's good enough.
Besides that the Usyk rematch showed he tried to do the same thing but slightly better.

[PRINCEKOOL]

I doubt he thinks he is already the best. He's just lost twice and is trying to make changes to his setup so clear he knows he's not the best and is trying to make improvements. I do think maybe Joshua thinks he's smarter than he is though.

As for getting out of his comfort zone? It's difficult say because different people respond differently to different approaches. Some people respond well to a kick up the ass and being taken out of their comfort zone. Sone respond better from an environment where they feel comfortable and positive reinforcement. I don't know which approach would get better results from Joshua. What I will say though is that from what I've seen and heard Joshua seems like he might be the type of person that you need to explain things to so that he agrees that this is the best course of action. Doesn't seem like the type who will just blindly follow orders and do as he's told.

Well yes good post. Joshua is extremely analytical when it comes to boxing. This can be a strength, but it can also over-complicate things.

I think that is the situation now, he is over complicating the situation. Skill for skill Joshua vs Usyk II was one of his best performances, on the sly he nearly beat Usyk at his own game.

But now he has once again derailed that momentum, by looking for another trainer 'Garcia improved Joshua'.

For me personally I think Joshua needs to develop a inside game, and the ability to use rough house tactics. If he had these dimensions to his game, the entire dynamic of the Usyk fights is way different.

Joshua probably would of won, or at-least made it even closer.

[TheOneAboveAll]

Bam Rodriguez is an elite level fighter. Jose Ramirez is a former world champion. Josh Franco is a world champion.

Garcia's point is that it would do Joshua a lot of good to be in the gym around guys like that. So he can see how hard they work, absorb some of what they do well and in turn share some of what he does well.

You can learn a lot by taking the time to teach and break things down for others.

Iron sharpens iron and a team of hungry, high level fighters rub off on each other. That's a better environment for Joshua than being in the sterile confines of Sheffield wearing flip flops with all his friends running around, don't you think?

No, not really. I understand your point, but I don’t think AJ lacks inspiration. Even if he did it’s not likely that he would get it working out with no-name flyweights, AJ doesn’t lack desire. He lacks the requisite skills, conditioning, ferocity and ring IQ necessary to beat the top HWs of the day. He needs a better trainer and better gym competition. Garcia does not bring that. He’s too soft and he has no experience training HWs.

[ShoulderRoll]

No, not really. I understand your point, but I don’t think AJ lacks inspiration. Even if he did it’s not likely that he would get it working out with no-name flyweights, AJ doesn’t lack desire. He lacks the requisite skills, conditioning, ferocity and ring IQ necessary to beat the top HWs of the day. He needs a better trainer and better gym competition. Garcia does not bring that. He’s too soft and he has no experience training HWs.

Weight is irrelevant here. The boxing skills and ring IQ that Anthony Joshua needs, and that Robert Garcia was trying to impart to him, are embodied in those "no-name flyweights."

Garcia has experience training multiple world champions and what he can teach is scalable right on up to the heavyweights. Joshua would just need to be humble enough to see that and be willing to accept direction. But maybe you're right about one thing, perhaps Robert was too soft on him. Instead of coddling him he should have given him a good kick in the ass to train hard even when he didn't feel like it.

[TheOneAboveAll]

Weight is irrelevant here. The boxing skills and ring IQ that Anthony Joshua needs, and that Robert Garcia was trying to impart to him, are embodied in those "no-name flyweights."

Garcia has experience training multiple world champions and what he can teach is scalable right on up to the heavyweights. Joshua would just need to be humble enough to see that and be willing to accept direction. But maybe you're right about one thing, perhaps Robert was too soft on him. Instead of coddling him he should have given him a good kick in the ass to train hard even when he didn't feel like it.

Couldn’t disagree more. Any effort to “scale up” Bam Rodriguez’ style to heavyweight will result in another massive failure for AJ.. Size and weight absolutely are relevant to fight style, tactics and conditioning. What heavyweight in the history of the sport have you ever known to fight like Bam Rodriguez, Josh Franco or a young Robert Garcia? None, I insist that AJ has absolutely nothing to learn from Bam Rodriguez. AJ will lose again if he stays with Garcia and Co.

[ShoulderRoll]

Couldn’t disagree more. Any effort to “scale up” Bam Rodriguez’ style to heavyweight will result in another massive failure for AJ.. Size and weight absolutely are relevant to fight style, tactics and conditioning. What heavyweight in the history of the sport have you ever known to fight like Bam Rodriguez, Josh Franco or a young Robert Garcia? None, I insist that AJ has absolutely nothing to learn from Bam Rodriguez. AJ will lose again if he stays with Garcia and Co.

Bam Rodriguez is a big admirer of Lomachenko. The scaled up heavyweight version of that would be Oleksander Usyk, hardly a massive failure.

Aside from that...the "Mexican style" body shots that all the Robert Garcia guys throw were exactly what Joshua needed, and when he had his best round in the rematch it was precisely to the body where he appeared to hurt Usyk. The answer going forward would be to go to the body more and better. Not to discard the approach altogether.

The best boxing skills are usually displayed by the lower weights. That's just a fact. And there's no reason that a heavyweight can't be trained to be just as skillful, other than laziness. Or if they are being specifically coached to fight tall and stay outside like Manny Steward did with Lennox Lewis.

[PRINCEKOOL]

He probably pumps more weights than boxing. Everyone else pumps weights as well but you don't see them with the bodybuilder body because weight training for actual boxers is just to get stronger.

I think this narrative needs to stop now, of Joshua being called a body builder. I get it? The man is condition, and does not have the physique of Tyson Fury or Andy Ruiz Junior, I get it guys.

Anthony Joshua without a shadow of a doubt, is one of the most dedicated boxers in the game. His work ethic is near psychopathic, this can be a strength of his but also a draw back. As Joshua has clearly trained incredibly hard for his rematch with Usyk, he did not win and the loss has effected him more profoundly than any other loss.

Joshua knew that he could beat Ruiz Junior in the rematch, and deep down Joshua's detractors knew Ruiz Junior skill for skill was not Joshua's equal.

If Anthony Joshua wanted to actual body build he would weigh more than Tyson Fury solid, don't lie to yourselves people. Joshua is no body builder, he trains sports specific.

What issue I have with Joshua's training, is that I think? He has maybe a bit too much incorporated new school techniques and methodologies. When in reality boxing training is simple, you have boxing training and then you have conditioning.

Running, swimming, sprinting, cycling, various types of circuit training and resistant training. Any boxer or just any person can easily research the history of boxing and see how boxers have always trained.

I have has always been adamant that boxers today in terms of endurance and overall fitness have gone backwards. The statistics how this, there is evidence out there to back this up.

Anthony Joshua is obsessive, and the man wants to win. That is something nobody can deny.