Top trainer Robert Garcia has backtracked on a split with heavyweight Anthony Joshua, saying the pair amicably agreed to allow a United States tryout.
Garcia says AJ did speak to him about his plans to travel to the US to gain knowledge from alternative coaches.
However, during the chat, the former two-time champion did not confirm they would not work together anymore.
“A couple of weeks ago, AJ called to tell me that he would come to the United States to meet with other trainers to see how he feels training with them,” Garcia told IZQUIERDAZO.
“But he never told me, ‘I’m not working with you anymore. He never told me ‘I don’t like your style.”
Anthony Joshua criticism
Judging by Garcia’s comments in the aftermath, it will be tough for the pair to reconcile. Garcia had some choice words about Joshua’s efforts in the gym.
“You cannot say today I don’t want to spar because I’m tired or I didn’t sleep enough last night, so I don’t want to train today,” Garcia said to Elie Seckbach earlier this month.
Now, weeks later, Garcia is again critical of Joshua’s choice to allow his handlers to make the big decisions about his future.
“I don’t know why, but he has his management team. They decided that [if he changes trainers],” Garcia said.
“I respect him. But what I respect the most is that he called me beforehand to tell me that he would visit other trainers in the United States.”
Despite a loss and Joshua acting petulantly in the ring after losing the fight, Garcia has no regrets about what happened in the fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
“We had a good plan, and we had good chances in the fight,” Garcia said. “We couldn’t win. But we must remember that we were fighting perhaps the best fighter pound for pound in the world.
“Usyk is a great fighter. It was a challenge to have my first fight with Anthony against a fighter like Usyk.
“We did everything we could, we had a good moment in the fight, but we couldn’t win it.”
Joshua vs Usyk
Concluding, García doesn’t close the door to work again with Anthony Joshua.
“If they decide to train with someone else, I wish them good luck,” Garcia said. “And if they decide to train with me and would like to come to train in California, that would be good.
“I feel that would work great for Joshua.”
Garcia had already confirmed that AJ must move to the US if they were to collaborate again.
