Boxing legend Roy Jones Jr has warned former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua 24-3 (22) against jumping straight into a bout against American powerhouse Deontay Wilder 43-2-1 (42) following his back-to-back losses to Ukrainian southpaw Oleksandr Usyk 20-0 (13).
The 33-year-old Joshua of London was comfortably outboxed by Usyk, 35, in their first bout in September 2021, losing a unanimous decision and surrendering his WBA, WBO and IBF titles in the process.
In the wake of that loss, Joshua sacked his longtime coach Rob McCracken and replaced him with renowned American trainer Robert Garcia for the immediate rematch.
Although he fared better in the second fight – losing a split decision by scores of 115-113, 112-116 and 113-115 – he again parted ways with his trainer and is currently in the US searching for a new coach as he looks to rebuild his career.
Two of the names in the frame are Virgil Hill and Derrick James. But Jones believes he is the right man to get Joshua’s career back on track.
Joshua was noncommittal about the idea.
“I respect Roy highly. What a man, what a talent, what a fighter,” Joshua told iD Boxing.
“But with that being said, that doesn’t mean that just because of that, he is qualified to train me. That is where it ends really, but I’d love to see his work and we go from there.”
In response, Jones told iD Boxing: “If I can’t teach you, you don’t want to learn. What can I not bring?
I’m one of the greatest to ever do it, I did whatever I wanted to do. So I can show you how to do whatever I want you to because I did whatever I wanted to when I got ready and who was gonna stop me? Nobody.”
There has been some talk of Joshua jumping straight in with former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder in his first fight back, something Jones vehemently opposes.
“He can’t go into a Deontay Wilder fight after losing two fights to Usyk. That doesn’t make any sense at all,” Jones told iD Boxing. “Now if you find someone who isn’t quite the puncher that Wilder is, get yourself back and back to winning.
“Then you can get comfortable to the adjustments that your new trainer will make you make. Once you get comfortable with those adjustments, then you fight Wilder because hopefully those adjustments have made you better and you’ve got confidence then you can get in the ring with Wilder because you probably can beat Wilder.
“But if you’re coming off two losses to against Usyk with the confidence being down already if Wilder hits you, you don’t know. That’s going to be crazy. Wilder is a phenomenal heavyweight; Wilder is one the hardest punching heavyweights in fighting right now. Against Wilder you’ve got to be mistake-proof. You make a mistake with Wilder and it could be over.”
