ANTHONY JOSHUA’S trainer feels like under-fire Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Both are battling to resurrect their fallen stars.
Rob McCracken needed just 16 professional fights to help crown Anthony Joshua world championCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
The trainer feels like under-fire Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar SolskjaerCredit: Getty – Contributor
Rob McCracken was quietly lauded by boxing fans for having the technical and personal skills to turn an 18-year-old petty criminal into Olympic champion inside four years.
And then the Team GB boss needed just 16 professional fights to help crown the Watford heavyweight the world champion.
Always in the shadows and never seeking praise, McCracken has faced a barrage of abuse since AJ’s shock June loss to Andy Ruiz Jr.
Three-time world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis even suggested he should be axed.
But it was McCracken who was the one who was reluctant to appoint Ruiz as drug cheat Jarrell Miller’s late replacement.
And if his wise words were listened to, Team AJ might never have gotten into Saturday’s lucrative Saudi Arabian pickle.
But the 51-year-old Birmingham trainer claims, just like the man in the Old Trafford hot-seat, his name will hit the headlines only following a defeat.
Three-time world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis even suggested AJ should axe McCrackenCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
McCracken was the one who was reluctant to bring in Ruiz as drug cheat Jarrell Miller’s late replacementCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
McCracken said: “If Josh wins, don’t worry about me, I’m anonymous. At this level, you are going to take stick. The Manchester United manager is going to take stick. If they lose, this is the equivalent.
“That simply comes with the territory. Unfortunately most of it is nonsense.
“You have got to do the right thing, do what you think is the right thing, be professional and help the boxer perform on the night — and keep him safe.”
Joshua, 30, ahead of his US bout in New York, took his training camp to celebrity hotspot Miami — and questions were asked, after the shock loss, about the impact of that decision.
McCracken admits mistakes might have been made in the training camp and fight.
But he firmly believes his star pupil can correct his summer errors and pass his latest high-profile test.
He said: “Everyone has an opinion, ‘He should have done this, he should have done that’. But I’ve got a thick skin.
“Could Josh have done better in the last fight, in the last camp? Could I have done better? There is always room for improvement.
“With his experience of fighting Ruiz, my experience of preparing him for Ruiz, hopefully we can get it right on the night. Hopefully, he can get titles back.
“The scrutiny is huge, it has been massive for Josh compared to most.
“There are world titles fought for every week but the analysis of the Joshua v Ruiz fight was magnified a thousand times.”
Joshua has studied a Lewis documentary while in Riyadh and there is plenty to learn from how the last undisputed heavyweight world champion avenged two shock KO defeats.
McCracken firmly believes his star pupil can correct his summer errors and pass his latest high-profile testCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
The Brit veteran, now 54, was stunned by American Hasim Rahman in April 2001 — but he roared back with a round-four KO seven months later.
McCracken agrees, saying: “It’s a good comparison but at the same time they are just two different fights, a different time and at different sides of the world.
“This is huge now. It is a world heavyweight title fight.
“The stakes are high, Josh has got to perform and keep Ruiz moving and he must make sure he carries out his strategy.
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“When you knock someone down, that is when they are at their most dangerous. You can’t be exchanging with them.
“How many great heavyweights in the past have we seen lose by KO? Wladimir Klitschko, Joe Louis, Lennox Lewis, there are millions of them.
“This is heavyweight championship boxing, the toughest sport, big guys, and you just can’t make any sort of mistake.”
Lennox Lewis was stunned by American Hasim Rahman in April 2001Credit: Reuters
Lewis roared back with a round-four KO seven months later and AJ has been studying the winCredit: PA:Press Association
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
