Eddie Hearn reveals Anthony Joshua is teaming up with Tyson Fury’s former coach Ben Davison… days after AJ said he would be ‘ready’ for long-rumoured fight against The Gypsy King
Anthony Joshua has been training with Tyson Fury’s former coach in recent times, Eddie Hearn has revealed.
Hearn, AJ’s promoter, told how top trainer Ben Davison has navigated the ranks of British heavyweights.
Davison lived with Fury for 14 months as he battled mental demons, helping him lose 100 pounds and return to the ring in 2018, and training him within a few scorecards of the WBC title against Deontay Wilder.
Fury dropped Davison after five fights ahead of his rematch with Deontay Wilder, where he ultimately won the title in 2020, and years later Davison is teaming up with one of his rivals.
Hear it Boxing social: ‘Ben is a small part of the team. They get along very well.
Ben Davison (right), Tyson Fury’s former trainer, has worked to help Anthony Joshua
Joshua is preparing for a fight in December, but it is not yet known who he will fight in the ring
Eddie Hearn said Davison has been ‘working tactically with AJ behind the scenes’
Davison worked with Fury for five fights and helped him return to the ring after a difficult period
‘While he’s in Britain he’ll be training with Ben and I think he’ll be very happy to do that. Derrick James currently remains the coach and is happy with him. A few appearances and building on that, no change in that regard.
“Ben has been working with AJ tactically behind the scenes, he is a fantastic coach and I think AJ feels comfortable working with him in the UK.
“Ben is a fantastic coach, and I think he has the kind of mind that AJ would fit in with.
“AJ is the kind of guy who doesn’t like to be out of camp for too long, and there’s a chance he could fight in December. So if that’s the case, he just wanted to spend these few weeks sharpening his tools before heading to camp in Dallas with Derrick (James).”
Although Joshua usually works with Derrick James, he still has time to learn from Davison.
It has not yet been confirmed who he will fight next.
Boxing fans are eager for the chance to see him in action against Fury or Wilder, with a rematch against Dillian Whyte falling through in fight week earlier this year.
Joshua still doesn’t have an opponent for his long-term fight in December after being linked with Filip Hrgovic, Otto Wallin or Agit Kabayel.
Would he ever fight Fury? “It’s a challenge, but one I’m up for,” he recently told Louis Theroux.
Hearn also revealed how Francis Ngannou’s camp was contacted after he impressed Fury in Riyadh.
Derrick James is Joshua’s head coach and will oversee his progress at a camp in Dallas
Davison has gained experience working with the smartest and boldest competitors in boxing
Speaking on Mail Sport’s boxing podcast The hookCharlotte Daly said she felt the heavyweight division has become ’embarrassing’ this year due to a lack of blockbuster fights.
She said: “I think it’s really disappointing because this year hasn’t been as exciting for the heavyweight division as it has been for the lighter weight classes.
“I think the division is getting in its own way with contractual disputes and even drug test failures are now coming into play as another factor.
“I think years ago the heavyweight division was the bread and butter of boxing, but now it has become somewhat of an embarrassment. I think the fight with Ngannou, whether you liked it or not, caused a lot of the deficit.
“Boxers are greedy because they want the biggest wallet and the biggest money, and that’s all they’re focused on.”