Should AJ change his trainer?

**imp** · 09-27-2021 12:00 AM

Terrible advice in the corner throughout the fight.

Who would you advise AJ to use for the Usyk rematch.

Is it too late?

**nuggetdotcom** · 09-27-2021 12:41 AM

Naturals are born not trained, Cassius Naz Sugar Ray Floyd......... All trainers do is keep them properly fed and fit.

**mrbig1** · 09-27-2021 03:49 AM

he needs a chin.

**Master** · 09-27-2021 08:16 AM

AJ got his tactics wrong, trying to outbox the skilled boxer, not using his additional weight and strength. If the trainer is to blame for that then he needs to go.

**SlimTrae** · 09-27-2021 08:24 AM

Good question. I saw the edited copy so no inbetween ring instructions heard.

As for his postfight interview he stated had his eye not swelled he would have continued the same gameplan (process) as he put it.
Fury was right then stating he was a one trick-pony.

I see only one main issue. Every fighter has flaws that can be exploited- yet still find a way to win. Not so with AJ's. IMO his major problem is when the fight breaks out. Yeah he has stamina issues as well Not sure if it is due to his muscular frame or he is a fighter that gasses out?
Example- Jean Pascal gassed out after 5-6 rounds. Yet he fought through his fatigue everytime- the dog in him IMO does that!

To me AJ is an athlete, a good boxer, but not really a fighter. Some guys can call an inner-rage inside them, I don't think AJ can.

While AJ IMO is no punk, but there is a difference between a tough guy (no punk) and a dog that can break the fence of the mind and go for broke.
Think Ray Leonard last round vs Hearns. Both Ken Norton & Larry Holmes final round. JMM final fight with Pac pasting him, nosed busted & still stayed in the fire and got the 1 punch KO.

AJ doesn't have that mentality IMO. Only fighters that should seek to clinch or retreat to the ropes when things go bad are old past primed fighters or someone who already had that style. When AJ retreated to the ropes final round, that was his demeanor. That is HIS answer for when shit gets tough. Hope he can survive as opposed to going out on his shield.
No trainer can give him that.

**Memphis** · 09-27-2021 09:42 AM

Not necessarily. The answer needs to come from within. I've rattled on for years about AJ and identity issues. He needs to now decide how he's going to finish his career. He's got what three fights that matter left, maybe one or two more in and around those fights? The issue is for me that it might be too late. Just echoing what Slim said. I think any dog that was in Joshua seems to have been trained/beaten out of him and I don't know if he has the stomach for it anymore.

The only way he beats Usyk, Fury or Wilder is to fight. If he boxes, the most likely scenario is that he loses all three. Usyk and Fury will box with him. On the outside Wilder probably gets a missile home at some point and it's game over.

There is no option B here. He has to do what comes naturally and fight. I'm just not sure if he can or even wants to.

**Kirkland Laing** · 09-28-2021 06:47 AM

Originally Posted by Memphis

Not necessarily. The answer needs to come from within. I've rattled on for years about AJ and identity issues. He needs to now decide how he's going to finish his career. He's got what three fights that matter left, maybe one or two more in and around those fights? The issue is for me that it might be too late. Just echoing what Slim said. I think any dog that was in Joshua seems to have been trained/beaten out of him and I don't know if he has the stomach for it anymore.

The only way he beats Usyk, Fury or Wilder is to fight. If he boxes, the most likely scenario is that he loses all three. Usyk and Fury will box with him. On the outside Wilder probably gets a missile home at some point and it's game over.

There is no option B here. He has to do what comes naturally and fight. I'm just not sure if he can or even wants to.

I agree he doesn't seem to have the eye of the tiger anymore and would like to find out whether that could be changed any by having different people around him. I was watching the fight wondering what Manny Steward would have done with him. I can give Joshua and his team a break for having made the decision to come in light and box. They overestimated his boxing skills and underestimated Usyk, probably on the basis of the Chisora fight. They definitely didn't think there'd be such a difference in how fast their feet were. And once it became clear that there was such a big difference in speed there was no plan B. Joshua took something off his punches and went to the body a little but that was it. And the corner was advising him to keep on keeping on when he was obviously losing. Definitely not a world class performance by his team in this one.

His trainer may have been successful at amateur level but this is a different game entirely. The greatest heavyweights we've ever seen would have struggled if they'd had an amateur hour corner. And Joshua doesn't seem to have the right mental makeup for when things aren't going well. I can't see him changing his team at this point either. Maybe after the next loss.