Eddie Hearn explains why Anthony Joshua needs to ‘change his environment’
Joshua will fight Oleksandr Usyk again in the spring
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Your support makes all the difference.Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua needs a “new environment” ahead of his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua fell to defeat at the hands of Usyk in September but the British star triggered the rematch clause in their contract.
The pair are expected to fight in the spring and rumours have been swirling about whether Joshua will ditch long-time trainer Rob McCracken.
Hearn insists Joshua’s wasn’t looking for a new coach on his recent trip to the US but was instead learning about how they do things in America.
He told DAZN: “I believe he needs to change his environment. Everyone keeps saying to me, ‘Who do you think is the best trainer for AJ?’ I said it’s just the person he believes in; he feels comfortable with and can sit him on the stool and change the direction of a fight at the right time. Rob McCracken is his trainer, his mentor, his adviser.
“I believe that’s a good move for him. He’s been in Sheffield since he’s been 18. The trip wasn’t about identifying a new trainer; it was about learning and new environments.”
The winner of their rematch looks set to take on Tyson Fury in a unification bout after the Brit retained his WBC belt with a win over Deontay Wilder in October.
Joshua and Fury were due to fight each other earlier this year but a court ordered Fury to fulfil his trilogy bout with Wilder. Despite the obstacles, Joshua has sworn he will do all he can to fight his compatriot.
He told the Daily Mail after his fight with Fury was called off: “We were meant to have fought by now and here we are talking about it, but it will happen. I know what people are saying about boxing politics, but I’ll promise before the end of my career I will have done everything in my power to fight Tyson Fury.”
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