Anthony Joshua’s new trainer Robert Garcia describes as the best heavyweight fighter in the world

Anthony Joshua’s new trainer Robert Garcia, 47, has claimed the British fighter is the best heavyweight fighter in the world and called him ‘special’. 

The former super-featherweight world champion has been drafted in to help Joshua, 32, to reclaim his IBF, WBA (super), IBO and WBO titles from Oleksandr Usyk, 35, having lost to the Ukrainian fighter in September 2021. 

Garcia also described Tyson Fury, 33, – a long-term rival of Joshua’s – as ‘a different monster’, but he expressed no doubts that his new charge has all the attributes to dominate the weight class.

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.’

Garcia called Tyson Fury, who has long been a rival of fellow Brit Joshua, ‘a different monster’

Although Garcia has been effusive in his praise for his new fighter, he faces a tough task in guiding him to a return to the forefront of the heavyweight division. 

Joshua was completely outclassed by Usyk in a unanimous points decision, in a fight where the Ukrainian landed more punches against the Brit than any of his previous opponents had managed, landing 148. 

But Garcia is adamant Joshua’s ability was evident from the first time he saw him, fighting as an amateur under the guidance of ex-trainer Robert McCracken, with whom Joshua won his Olympic Gold medal.

Garcia said: ‘Before I was even hired you could have asked me, ‘Who do you think is the best, most talented heavyweight?’

Joshua was defeated in a unanimous points decision by Ukrainian Usyk in September 2021

‘And I’d have always said Anthony Joshua. Since the first time I met him, I knew who he was because he won a gold medal.

‘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.’