As Anthony Joshua prepares for the most unexpected fight of his career, he will do so without trainer Ben Davison.
The pair linked up in 2023 following Joshua’s split from Derrick James, working together for three fights that produced two wins and one defeat. Victories over former European champion Otto Wallin and UFC heavyweight king Francis Ngannou appeared to signal the return of the old, destructive Joshua. However, that attack-minded approach ultimately cost him a third heavyweight title in September 2024, when Daniel Dubois dropped him four times and stopped him in the fifth round to cap a disastrous night at Wembley Stadium for ‘AJ’.
Joshua’s 15-month exile will end on December 19, when he faces YouTuber-turned-professional boxer Jake Paul in an eight-round heavyweight bout.
Having worked under Robert McCracken, Robert Garcia, Derrick James and Ben Davison, the former unified champion revealed at the Jake Paul–Anthony Joshua launch press conference that he has now joined Oleksandr Usyk’s training team. Joshua praised Davison as a ‘phenomenal’ coach and claimed he only left due to London being a ‘distraction.’
“I won’t be trained by Ben Davison. I said that London is a bit distracting for me.
I was invited to train with Team Usyk, so I’ve been in Spain, we’ve been doing some good training and he’s one of the best in the world and it’s not all down to him, it’s also down to his team, so I linked up with them.
Getting an insight into how someone who has achieved so much has been phenomenal. Igor [will be my head trainer on the night]. I’ve been with them a couple of months now.
Ben Davison – phenomenal coach –,[I asked] Ben what do you think [about training with Usyk’s team]? Ben said, ‘100 per cent – that’s a great move.’
[So I] went out there and spent time with the three-time undisputed champ. They’re killing me, drilling me, but this is where I need to be.
That’s how serious I’m taking Jake.”
Who “Igor” is has yet to be revealed. Joshua will hope that some of Team Usyk’s magic –– the same that produced two wins over him –– can help guide him back to a world title run, provided he takes care of Jake Paul next month.
