Robert Garcia is aiming to make Anthony Joshua a world champion again
The trainer from California, known as 'Grandpa', has been added to the former IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO champion’s training team headed up by Angel Fernandez, as he prepares for his rematch with the current unified heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk.
The 47-year-old was voted Trainer of the Year by The Ring magazine in 2011, and by the Boxing Writers Association of America in 2012.
The pair fought in September 2021 and are expected to fight again this summer, possibly in the Middle East, in a bout that was delayed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Usyk’s return to his homeland.
A former world champion himself back in 1998-99, Roberto Garcia Cortez explained that guiding AJ back to the top of boxing’s heavyweight division would give him huge satisfaction.
“I love that challenge,” Garcia said to Little Giant Boxing. “Especially coming off a loss and getting the rematch against a guy that beat him.
“It’s a great challenge for me. I understand it’s not going to be easy. I’m gonna do whatever it takes to get Anthony to become champion again.
“That’s the thing that motivates me the most: after coming off a loss where people don’t expect him to win. Those are the challenges that I love. Like when Maidana beat Broner or Abner Mares beat [Jesus] Cuellar or Steve Luevano who travelled to London to fight Nicky Cook and knocked him out in the 11th round where nobody expected that to happen.”
“Those are the challenges that I like and right now Anthony Joshua is that challenge.
“He lost. He didn’t take a beating. He lost a decision. But he lost. Clearly lost. Now to pull off the win it would be huge for me, man. It would be huge for me as a trainer having the heavyweight champion of the world. Can’t get any better than that.”
Garcia currently trains his younger brother Mikey Garcia, Jesse Rodriguez, Joshua Franco, and Jose Ramirez, among others.
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