Anthony Joshua told to copy Wladimir Klitschko and get an American coach for Oleksandr Usyk rematch in order to join heavyweight greats like Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis

Anthony Joshua has been told to find an American coach to help him for the Oleksandr Usyk rematch by Wladimir Klitschko’s manager.

Bernd Bonte oversaw Klitschko’s domination of the heavyweight division, which culminated with a spectacular showdown with Joshua at Wembley in 2017.

Times have become decidedly tougher for Joshua since that famous night, with losses to Andy Ruiz Jr and Usyk besmirching his previously unblemished record.

Yet where it was simply failing to recover from a huge shot which rendered him senseless in the Ruiz fight, Joshua was comprehensively outboxed and then nearly stopped by Usyk when they met in September.

The Brit triggered a rematch clause in an attempt to get the belts back instantly, yet there are those who feel as though he needs to split with head trainer Rob McCracken and he even courted American trainers earlier this year.

Bonte helped Klitschko link up with Emanuel Steward in Detroit after his loss to Corrie Sanders and the Ukrainian’s manager believes Joshua can enjoy similar levels of success himself.

He told Vegas Insider: “I recommended Emanuel Steward to Wladimir because Wladimir really didn’t feel very good after that loss to Corrie Sanders and he tested some different coaches as you’ll remember. And when I called Emanuel and set up a meeting between him and Wladimir the rest is history as we both know.

“With Emanuel’s support and his different tactics and his very close relationship, Wladimir came back stronger than he had ever been before and after that he was undefeated for almost ten years. AJ can do the same.

“Yes, absolutely there are similarities between Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua.

“The psychology is very decisive here for AJ in the rematch, I mean, I think he’s a guy like Wladimir. He has to feel good before a fight, he needs a psychological high, not question marks in his head, and then he can win the fight.

“AJ’s tactics have been rightfully called into question but let's not forget, especially looking at Wladimir's losing performance against Corrie Sanders, that he’s not the first fighter that had a complete off night and he won’t be the last, but without question he can come back stronger.

“Anthony Joshua also has to feel good in the ring. I only know that psychology is the most decisive thing for AJ in the rematch and he has to solve that question, as well as the coaching question."

The fight with Usyk was largely dictated on the Ukrainian’s terms, with Joshua mostly static and throwing pot-shots in the hope of catching the smaller, elusive southpaw.

Yet given his extensive amateur background, Bonte feels as though Joshua must revert to his box-fighting days to change the narrative of the fight and place himself in the pantheon of great heavyweight champions from previous years.

“I think AJ is a great guy for boxing - as well as his whole team - but the decision to change trainers is one that they have to make. I can only tell you that I rate Rob McCracken very highly, but if AJ wants to have an additional coach or some advisers from outside, I don’t know. It is a decision that he has to make.

“It's extremely important that he has complete trust in his coach and that they as a close team, choose the right strategy, and end the fight on a psychological high, that's the most important thing in this case.

“If he makes the right decisions in his camp, I am very, very positive that AJ can become the next member of that elite group of three-time heavyweight champions and be like: Ali, Lennox, Vitali, Evander. I think he needs to make the right changes and he’ll be back on track.”