Anthony Joshua’s new coach rates heavyweight’s rivals including Tyson Fury

Joshua’s new coach Robert Garcia believes his new charge is more talented than Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder despite claiming that Fury is a “different beast”

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Anthony Joshua ready to do ‘it all again’ after loss to Oleksandr Usyk

Anthony Joshua’s new trainer has claimed the heavyweight is more talented than rivals Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk and Deontay Wilder.

The British star has teamed up with the world-renowned American to prepare for his revenge bid against Usyk this summer. A win for Joshua could set up an undisputed title clash against Fury, who is largely recognised as the leading fighter in the division.

However Garcia believes Fury is a different beast in comparison to Joshua’s upcoming rival Usyk. “Who’s the most talented heavyweight? I’ve always said Anthony Joshua,” Garcia told Little Giant Boxing. “Tyson Fury’s a different beast, a different monster. Oleksandr Usyk’s very technical and difficult. Deontay Wilder has tremendous power. But overall talent, for me, I pick Joshua.

“Another thing is that Anthony Joshua also has insane power. He has great power, more than anybody else I think. Wilder, I have never felt his power, he is one of them guys too who has that one-punch power. But Joshua has it also and he is very strong.”

‘AJ’ was finally set to settle his rivalry with Fury in an undisputed fight last year but it collapsed after the ‘Gypsy King’ was forced to stage a trilogy with Wilder. Joshua instead suffered the second defeat of his career last year, losing his unified titles in a mandatory defence against Usyk.

Now the Briton is expected to now face Usyk on August 20 in Saudi Arabia to attempt to steal them back. The two-time champion came into criticism for his tactical approach to the first meeting, with his trainer Rob McCracken also coming into the firing line.

He has since replaced McCracken with Garcia while Angel Fernandez has continued to work with Joshua at Loughborough University ahead of the sequel. Garcia has been added to Joshua’s camp for further experience having trained the likes of Marcos Maidana and four-weight world champions Mikey Garcia and Nonito Donaire.

Garcia has travelled across the pond to train Joshua and revelaed he identified Joshua’s talents when watching him defeat Kevin Johnson in 2012. “Before I was even hired you could have asked me ‘who do you think is the best, most talented heavyweight?’ And I’d have always said Anthony Joshua,” Garcia continued. “Since the first time I met him, I knew who he was because he won a gold medal [at the Olympics in 2012].

“But [Evgeny] Gradovich was fighting in London and Anthony Joshua fought on that same card when he was just a beginner. He was obviously a superstar coming up with the gold medal, but I didn’t know who he was. When I saw him going up to the weigh-ins, the way he looked right away I could feel that, even though I didn’t know who he was, he was special.”