Carl Froch says Anthony Joshua needs a ‘brain transplant’ if he is to become a three-time heavyweight world champion by beating Oleksandr Usyk.
Froch believes the Watford-born Joshua has the body to take on Usyk, but questioned his mentality ahead of their rematch in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on August 20.
Last September at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Usyk won their initial fight by unanimous decision, but now Joshua has a new trainer, Robert Garcia, who is thought to bring more aggression to the 32-year-old’s boxing style.
Despite the switch-up, though, former super-middleweight champion Froch does not fancy Joshua’s chances of turning the tables this time around.
Froch told Betfred’s Lightweight Boxing Show, “Sometimes a change is good, but for Anthony Joshua to beat Oleksandr Usyk, he needs a brain transplant. He’s got all the physical attributes but I just don’t think he can beat him.”
Their previous encounter was only the second time Joshua has lost a professional bout, after being knocked out by Andy Ruiz Jr. in June 2019.
Joshua will be eyeing up revenge against Usyk, especially after leaving his previous trainer Rob McCraken to obtain Garcia’s services.
Froch, in a seperate interview with iFL TV, added, “I think it’s going to be difficult for Joshua to beat Usyk in this rematch; it’s going to be very difficult unless he changes his train of thought and his mindset.
“His mindset needs to be bang on. He needs to start believing in himself and go in that ring with all the confidence that he can and will do the job. If he goes in believing, he can achieve.
“I just think since the Ruiz loss, he hasn’t had that mindset and hasn’t had that mentality of a winner. He just sort of got through the rematch with Ruiz, and I wasn’t impressed with the (Kubrat) Pulev victory.
