Derrick James is adamant that Anthony Joshua will improve under his guidance.
Following his back-to-back losses against Oleksandr Usyk, the Brit sought out the services of the American as his new trainer.
James’ expertise in getting the boxing fundamentals in order was seen during their first fight together.
Joshua went the distance with Jermaine Franklin, as he stayed behind his measured jab rather than letting loose with explosive combinations.
While Joshua was criticized for not stopping Franklin, as the crowd responded with a chorus of boos, he did manage to get some much-needed rounds.
That is why James is confident that Joshua will add things to his game.
“People talk about Anthony Joshua [not looking good in the Franklin fight]—he fought the fight that I wanted him to fight. I know you may think something else, but he fought the fight that I wanted him to be prepared to fight.
“The more time you get together, you’ll see a different guy. I want to make sure we get everything down. He won every round [in the Franklin fight],” James
Getting Joshua in tip-top shape will be vital, as talks over a fight with Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia continue to gather momentum.
And with Joshua being lined up to face another opponent in August, it is vital that James has time with to implement his philosophy.