‘He should take a YEAR off’ – Johnny Nelson says Anthony Joshua is ‘still broken’ after losing twice to Oleksandr Usyk

ANTHONY JOSHUA has been urged to take “a year out” to find himself following his back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk.

The Watford warrior, 33, came up short in his bid to reclaim the unified titles from the undefeated Ukrainian in August, suffering a split decision defeat.

Anthony Joshua is in a rebuilding phase of his career following back-to-back losses to Oleksandr UsykGETTY

GETTYAJ is currently on the fringes of the world title picture[/caption]

GettyFormer WBO cruiserweight champ Johnny Nelson believes AJ should take a year out[/caption]

The second successive defeat to Usyk prompted Joshua to part company with trainer Robert Garcia and seek out a new head coach.

And former WBO cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson reckons he should take time out to get his coaching team in order and rediscover his mojo before returning to the ring.

He told iFL TV: “AJ is at the crossroads now where he’s going to different trainers, and then he said, ‘I might take a year off.’

“I think he should take a year off.

“I think he should sit back, reset, spend time at many, many gyms, training, submerse himself in it, feel comfortable with it and say, ‘Now I’ve reset, now I can do this.’”

Nelson believes the losses to Usyk have left a mental wound on AJ which only time out will heal.

He added: “Look at what he’s achieved. He started boxing when he was 18 years old.

“He’s achieved ridiculously good things, but he’s still broken. He’s still not over the two losses from Usyk.

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“He still has got to get his strength back, his belief back. AJ, he needs to reset. He needs to think, ‘I need to be back here again.’

“He needs his motivation to fight, and he needs them for the right reasons because it’s not for the dollars.

“He has more money than you and I will ever spend.”

Joshua is currently on course to return to the ring in late March, although an opponent for his comeback fight has not yet been finalised.

Anthony Joshua is expected to return to the ring in late MarchGETTY

It’s understood bouts with Dillian Whyte, Deontay Wilder and Otto Wallin are all on the table for the former two-time unified champion.

Promoter Eddie Hearn recently told the DAZN Boxing show: “At the moment, AJ’s plans are he is due to fight in late March, and we’re locking that in.”