Manny Steward was renowned for taking GOOD fighters, with lots of talent but lots of flaws from good to great fighters. Im sure if he were around today, AJ would be a perfect pupil for him to mould. I think its widely agreed that AJ needs a new trainer (although he seems loyal to Rob) - who in todays boxing world be AJ's Manny Steward?
If anything Manny was the best at taking talent fighters and getting rid of their limiting flaws however majority of the fighters he coached didn’t have many flaws. Usually they just weren't fighting to their strengths. AJ needs an authoritarian type coach for me, Rob gave him good instructions but he couldn’t execute coz he was out of it. I think maybe an Atlas or Virgil Hunter might be stern enough to get his respect.
Making for the ultimate Rocky 3 scenario! Wlad could be all like "Hey after this you owe me a favour" and AJ will be like "What favour?!" - Then when AJ wins the rematch, he and WK will have a rematch behind closed doors, where the footage (and result) will exist only on a single USB Stick...
I'm not sure it's that straight forward with Joshua. To correct flaws is to improve things a boxer does badly. Problem for AJ is there are key things he simply does not or cannot do. He can be taught to box off the back foot, use minimal but lateral movement, jab and grab, clinch properly etc but these are not flaws, they are huge chasms of boxing technique missing from his game almost entirely. The fact Rob M has not addressed these means either he didn't think them important (a mistake if true) or, more likely, his charge cannot master these basics and they honed his style down to something easily digestible - based on power, basic jab, right hand boxing and overwhelming opponents who cover up under attack and don't punch with him. Sympathetic match-making hid from AJ the things missing from his game and finally facing someone all wrong for him, brought out all these issues in one perfect storm of a fight. Not sure a change of coach will sort all this out....
The only person who could be AJ's Manny Steward is Manny Steward, and he's dead. Steward was one of a kind. MAYBE Virgil Hunter, but I don't want Joshua to become a boring clincher.
Not sure as AJ is pretty far gone, how much improvement can be made? Maybe Virgil Hunter could help? The Mayweathers?
Lewis was worse than AJ is now before Steward took over in his corner, AJ`s right hand is shorter and less telegraphed than Lewis`s was v McCall, that`s how he got countered.
AJ`s would act better than Stallone did in Rocky 3, can you believe Sly is charging over £800 for pics fans want to take of him when they meet him?
There was a film study guy on youtube called Barry Robinson who is a boxing and MMA trainer and he was in negotiations to become part of AJ`s team for the Ruiz fight, but got the run around so he pulled out, he would be a great trainer for AJ.
This is true! Though IMO, if AJ can improve his conditioning and footwork he should be able to beat Ruiz - but not easily!
Lewis is a better fighter than AJ could ever be, thats not to knock AJ coz Lewis is an ATG, however that’s just truth. AJ has accomplished more than Lewis did but I don’t think Lewis was much worse, you have to remember it was different eras.