Anthony Joshua needs a ‘brain transplant’ if he is to defeat Oleksandr Usyk in August rematch, claims Carl Froch, as he remains unconvinced a change in coach is enough to help Brit rediscover the ‘mentality of a winner’
- Carl Froch believes Anthony Joshua needs a huge change to his mentality
- Joshua lost to Oleksandr Usyk by unanimous decision when they met last year
- New coach Robert Garcia is said to bring more aggression to Joshua’s style
- However Froch believes Joshua will need a ‘brain transplant’ to get one over Usyk
Carl Froch says Anthony Joshua needs a ‘brain transplant’ if he is to become a three-time heavyweight world champion by beating Oleksandr Usyk.
Froch believes the Watford-born Joshua has the body to take on Usyk, but questioned his mentality ahead of their rematch in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on August 20.
Last September at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Usyk won their initial fight by unanimous decision, but now Joshua has a new trainer, Robert Garcia, who is thought to bring more aggression to the 32-year-old’s boxing style.
Anthony Joshua, right, has switched trainer ahead of August’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk
Despite the switch-up, though, former super-middleweight champion Froch does not fancy Joshua’s chances of turning the tables this time around.
Froch told iFL TV: ‘Sometimes a change is good, but for Anthony Joshua to beat Oleksandr Usyk, he needs a brain transplant. He’s got all the physical attributes but I just don’t think he can beat him.’
Their previous encounter was only the second time Joshua has lost a professional bout, after being knocked out by Andy Ruiz Jr. in June 2019.
Joshua will be eyeing up revenge against Usyk, especially after leaving his previous trainer Rob McCraken to obtain Garcia’s services.
Carl Froch believes that Joshua needs to change his mindset ahead of the Saudi Arabia fight
Froch added: ‘I think it’s going to be difficult for Joshua to beat Usyk in this rematch; it’s going to be very difficult unless he changes his train of thought and his mindset.
‘His mindset needs to be bang on. He needs to start believing in himself and go in that ring with all the confidence that he can and will do the job. If he goes in believing, he can achieve.
‘I just think since the Ruiz loss, he hasn’t had that mindset and hasn’t had that mentality of a winner. He just sort of got through the rematch with Ruiz, and I wasn’t impressed with the (Kubrat) Pulev victory.
Joshua’s new coach Robert Garcia (right) is thought to be adding more aggression to his style
Joshua and Usyk are reported to be earning a £100m purse for the hotly anticipated rematch
‘I’ve not seen that fire back in his belly. I don’t think leaving Rob McCracken, I don’t know it was a good decision or not, but I’m hoping it works out to be a good decision for him in terms of changing his mentality.
‘Maybe a change is as good as anything else when you have a rematch with somebody like Usyk because he needs to do something different.
‘It’s a tough one for AJ. I’m not saying he can’t do it, because he can, he has all the physical attributes. But he needs to get it right mentally. He needs to get his head right. If he doesn’t believe in himself, he may as well not even bother turning up.’
The undefeated Ukrainian Usyk, 35, will be defending his IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles in the rematch, and left the Ukrainian territorial defense forces in March to train for the clash.
Joshua and Usyk are reported to be earning a £100million purse for the heavyweight match-up, although the choice to host the event in Saudi Arabia has caused something of a stir among some critics.
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