Filip Hrgović called on Anthony Joshua to retire after the fight with Tyson Fury
- Filip Hrgović advises Joshua to end his career after losing to Fury
- Coaches won't help if the fighter isn't confident in themselves
- The Joshua-Fury fight is scheduled for December 11, 2026, in Cardiff.
- Tyson Fury believes that Joshua is avoiding major challenges
Croatian IBF heavyweight champion Filip Hrgović (21 wins, 1 loss, 16 knockouts) in an interview after the fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury (36-2-1, 25 knockouts) called on the British record holder to retire from professional career. According to Hrgović, the main problem for Joshua is not physical preparation, but psychological state. 'If you are not in a good place with yourself, no coach, not even Emanuel Steward, can help,' he emphasized.
Why, according to Hrgovic, coaches do not solve the problem
The former champion noted that Joshua often changes coaching teams, but 'it's not about the coaches, it's about him'. According to him, the fight against Fury was organized mainly for financial reasons, and after such a bout, it's worth considering ending an active career.
Despite having experience working with various mentors, including the team led by Oleksandr Usyk, Joshua's recent training periods have not yielded the expected results. Under Usyk's team's guidance, Joshua scored a knockout against Jake Paul and a victory over Dillian Whyte, however, during the preparation for the fight with Fury, his corner received sharp criticism. British coach Dominic Ingle called the corner's work 'ineffective,' and Joshua himself was knocked out in his last fight against Albanian opponent Christian Prenga.
Moses Itaum, who works in the circle of the 'Gypsy King', also expressed skepticism about Joshua's chances in the upcoming confrontation. According to him, in the bout scheduled for December 11, 2026, in Cardiff for the WBA Super title, Joshua has 'little chance' of winning. The first press conference before the fight is scheduled for September 30.
Tyson Fury, who defeated Joshua, emphasized in his statement that the British boxer avoids major challenges and often seeks 'comfortable' fights. This reinforces analysts' views that Joshua may consider retirement as a way to avoid further defeats.
Manager Joshua, known as the 'Gypsy King', has repeatedly opposed holding the fight at night, arguing that it could affect the athlete's preparation. Despite this, the organizers remain stubborn about the date and location of the match.
After the defeat by Fury and numerous comments from former opponents and trainers, the question of Anthony Joshua's future is on the agenda. If the boxer decides to stay in the professional ring, he will have to reconsider his training approach, and possibly change not only his coaching staff but also his own mentality.
Source: Champion.com.ua
