Carl Froch says Rob McCracken was not fired by Anthony Joshua
After the former two-time heavyweight champion suggested that former trainer was released for lack of training, Carl Froch leapt to McCracken’s defense.
Veteran trainer Rob McCracken casts a long shadow in British boxing, with a longstanding relationship with both Anthony Joshua and Carl Froch.
McCracken molded the young Joshua from amateur prospect into an Olympic gold medallist and later on to a two-time heavyweight champion as a professional. After his loss on points to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021, Joshua dropped McCracken and started training with Robert Garcia, before switching again to Derrick James.
When asked about the split, Joshua insinuated that he made the decision as a result of a failing on McCracken’s part. Speaking to Boxing News, Joshua said, “Rob McCracken’s a really good coach, the only thing I’d say is look at Carl Froch’s nose. He just didn’t teach me defense.”
He elaborated further on what he saw as McCracken’s failings, saying, “In heavyweight boxing, the level of competition I was facing at that stage of my career, I was getting hit way too much with clean shots. I was sparring Solomon Dacres, the tall six foot five guy, in Miami for Ruiz, who’s five foot. Rob was in Japan for the Olympics. He only came back seven weeks before it. I just know it’s not good enough for where I’m at. Rob was too committed to the Olympic team, not pros. I gave Rob my best years, now I’ve got to dig deep to get them back.”
The reference to Carl Froch and his nose, which he famously had surgically repaired after his career ended, is a swipe at one of the most hallowed of British boxing relationships. McCracken had a similar and lifelong relationship with Froch, who was a four-time light-heavyweight world champion and owner of one of the most granite chins in boxing history.
Froch wasted no time in swiping back at Joshua, saying that Joshua is simply not training properly. “He doesn’t throw enough punches and he runs out of steam doesn’t he, he gets tired. We saw that against Pulev, he got the win, but he was tired after he went for the stoppage in round three or four.”
Addressing the criticism of Rob McCracken directly, Froch said, “AJ did not leave Rob McCracken, for all you know Rob McCracken left him. It was a mutual agreement, put it that way. AJ did not sack McCracken. He’s the boss.”
Pressed to expand, the Cobra suggested that there is more to the story than meets the eye. “In the build up to the first Usyk fight, there were many people around AJ, telling him different things, and I think Rob had had enough if I’m honest. I know the situation and I know for a fact that AJ did not get rid of Rob.”
Circling back to the poor training theme, Froch elaborated, “He wasn’t listening to Rob before they split. If you’re not going to listen and have that respect, then the relationship will break down. Rob knew that Usyk would be their last together. Rob’s happy not working with AJ any more because he doesn’t want to work with someone who’s not going to listen. Rob’s not just going to stick around for the money.”
While that may seem to be the end of it, Froch gave one parting swipe on TalkSport radio, saying, “If someone has a bit of constructive criticism to put his way, he should take that. Especially from someone who’s won four world titles and been inducted into the hall of fame.”
Insisting that he bears no ill will against Joshua, Froch continued, “It’s no personal vendetta against AJ. There’s no problem, I want him to succeed and do well.”
But before you think that is the end of the feud, Froch criticised Joshua for his perceived insult, saying, “He’s shown a bit of weakness there. He needs to grow up a little bit and grow a pair.”