Dillian Whyte claims Anthony Joshua is 'lost', criticises his link-up with Oleksandr Usyk's camp and reveals why Fabio Wardley would beat him tomorrow

Anthony Joshua's former rival Dillian Whyte has delivered a scathing verdict on the former world champion's career, claiming he is 'lost' and suggesting that newly crowned WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley could beat him if they fought tomorrow.

Whyte, who has faced Joshua twice in high-profile bouts - losing a close points decision in their first fight and suffering a knockout defeat in their 2022 rematch -spoke exclusively to Clubhouse Boxing about Joshua's struggles, his choices in the gym, and his current mindset.

Whyte identified Joshua's split with long-time trainer Rob McCracken as a turning point in his career. Joshua had spent over a decade under McCracken's guidance, rising from Olympic gold medalist to two-time world heavyweight champion. But their partnership came to an end in 2021, following Joshua's first professional defeat to Oleksandr Usyk. 

Whyte believes the split left Joshua directionless.

'I think the biggest mistake AJ made was leaving Rob McCracken,' Whyte said. 'I think Robert McCracken was the best trainer for him. And I think Rob McCracken was also a smart, quiet, intelligent guy when boxing's concerned. 

'It seems like he's wandering, he's a bit lost, it seems like he's looking for something that he's not going to find in a boxing trainer, he needs to find it within himself, deep down within himself. No boxing trainer can help him with it.'

Whyte was equally critical of Joshua's decision to link up with Usyk's camp. Having suffered two defeats to the Ukrainian - first in September 2021 and again in August 2022 - Joshua now finds himself training with the team of the very fighter who handed him those losses as he prepares for his upcoming clash with Jake Paul and looks toward future challenges.

'He seems lost at the moment. He's over here training with one guy and then next he's over there training with Usyk. I mean bro, I'm not going to go and train with Ben Davison now because I lost to Moses Itauma. 

'You don't go training with Usyk's trainer because you lost to Usyk. You have to find what works best for you. Usyk's got a completely different style so why does he think that's going to work for him?'

Whyte highlighted Joshua's confidence - or lack thereof - as a major concern. 

'Obviously you can have experience, skills and what not but it's confidence. If you're not confident, there is no point going into the fight. I am always confident, I always believe in myself but sometimes you need extreme confidence and AJ doesn't have that at the moment,' he explained.

Joshua's clash with social media star Jake Paul is set for December 19 in Miami, Florida. The fight will be professionally sanctioned, with a weight cap of 225lbs on Joshua and 10oz gloves, reportedly generating multi-million-dollar purses for both fighters. Whyte sees the fight as evidence of Joshua's misplaced priorities.

'He's fighting Jake Paul. I think that says it all. That's just a money move, it's not going to do anything for his confidence. If he comes back to boxing and faces the likes of Fury, it's going to be very different. He needs to get back to real boxing. I am glad he's making some money against Jake Paul and he's probably going to shut Jake Paul up if there are no agreements in place for him to lose, but he needs to focus on real boxing, man.'

Whyte didn't hold back when discussing the prospect of Joshua facing rising British heavyweight Fabio Wardley. With Oleksandr Usyk vacating the WBO heavyweight belt, Wardley was elevated to champion, putting him squarely in Joshua's sights if the former world champion seeks to become a three-time heavyweight titleholder.

'Definitely, definitely, definitely. Especially, AJ is coming off a long layoff as well. It's his confidence too. Fabio's got that confidence you need to be successful. Having confidence during your career is key. Obviously you can have experience, skills and what not but it's confidence. If you're not confident, there is no point going into the fight,' Whyte said.

He added: 'I am always confident, I always believe in myself but sometimes you need extreme confidence and AJ doesn't have that at the moment.' Whyte is also managing and mentoring Wardley, helping to guide his career and instil the same focus and mindset that helped Whyte become a top contender himself.'

Whyte and Joshua's rivalry has been one of the most high-profile in British boxing. Their first encounter in 2015 ended in a narrow points defeat for Whyte, while their 2022 rematch saw Joshua claim a dramatic knockout in a bruising contest. A third fight had been on the cards, but circumstances meant it never came to fruition -though Whyte has always maintained he would love the chance to face Joshua again and settle unfinished business in the ring.

'I would love to fight AJ again. I would love to fight everyone that I lost to again. There's not a lot of guys for AJ to fight. There's not a lot of guys for me to fight. There's not a lot of guys for Fury to fight. There's not lot of guys for Usyk to fight. He might have a bit more options than us because he's a champion and he's got mandatory. So, that's why I want to fight AJ. I want to right that wrong and it makes sense for both of us as it would be a big fight.'