Joshua torn apart ahead of Usyk fight
Legendary trainer Teddy Atlas has ripped into Nigeria born former heavy weight champion Anthony Joshua. Atlas claims Joshua 'accepts losing too easily' and looks like 'a guy who has earned too much money'.
Since losing to Oleksandr Usyk in September, ‘AJ’ has been met with waves of criticism from people inside the boxing world. Among those names is Atlas, who has slammed him for his mental fragility.
“I think Usyk’s gonna win [against Joshua]. I can’t go against Usyk, how can I go against the guy, he gives you no reason to,” Atlas said during the latest episode of his podcast ‘The Fight’.
“He was an undefeated Cruiserweight champ and unified all the titles, the best Cruiserweight ever besides Holyfield, he’s an Olympic gold medallist. He doesn’t know how to lose. I think that Joshua is too good a loser.
“He’s a classy guy, I’m not saying I want him to be a sore loser – that says the wrong things. I’m just saying that sometimes it looks like Joshua accepts losing a little too freely, like he did against Ruiz the first time in the Garden, almost like a guy who’s made too much money. Sometimes I just feel that it’s not important enough to him anymore.”
Atlas has trained multiple world champions, including two-time world heavyweight champion Michael Moorer; world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan; world light heavyweight champion Donny LaLonde and world welterweight champion Simon Brown.
The New Yorker doesn’t give ‘AJ’ much of a chance when he faces Usyk again on August 20 and has even claimed that he would get knocked out by WBO mandatory Joe Joyce. He said: “Joe Joyce could wind up fighting the winner of Usyk and Joshua. I’ll tell you something I think he knocks out Joshua. How does that feel for you Brits? Put that in your pipe and smoke it.”
Similar claims were made by ‘The Juggernaut’ himself recently when he tore apart Joshua for his lack of hunger.
Talking to The Sun, Joyce said: “If by some miracle Joshua beats Usyk, he will have to face me or vacate the [WBO] belt. His chin has gone, and I don’t think his heart is fully in the game anymore. He always talks about staying hungry, but the world can see he’s not hungry anymore for boxing. He’s a businessman more interested in lecturing students.
