Malik Scott, the head trainer of former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, believes Anthony Joshua has become ‘gun-shy’ since suffering a knockout loss at the hands of Andy Ruiz back in 2019.

Joshua returned to the ring last Saturday night in London, where he picked up a twelve round unanimous decision over Jermaine Franklin.

The victory snapped a two-fight losing streak, with Joshua dropping back to back decisions to Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua, a former two-time heavyweight champion, was being cornered for the first time by new head coach Derrick James.

James is Joshua’s third trainer in his last three fights. He parted ways with career trainer Robert McCracken after the first loss to Usyk. And then walked away from Robert Garcia in the aftermath of the Usyk rematch.

“He comes across as a little bit gun-shy,” Scott told Boxing King Media. “Ever since he fought Ruiz, even when he has looked at his best, in my opinion against [Kubrat] Pulev and Ruiz II, those were still real tactical, safety-first victories for him.

“Ever since that [loss to Ruiz], he has been overthinking in the ring, for someone that big, someone that strong, that can be that imposing on his opponent, that is not a good thing. AJ is not a slick guy, he doesn’t punch a little bit hard, he punches very hard. He’s a fast guy, he’s actually known for being one of the latest heavyweights that puts their punches together very well.

“But why hasn’t he been putting punches together well in his last three, four fights against smaller opponents? It is not a physical thing, I don’t think it is a trainer thing, I think this is a mental thing.”