Anthony Joshua has recalled the response of Ben Davison, his former head coach, after initially expressing his interest in joining Oleksandr Usyk’s training set-up.
It was considered an unlikely partnership when Joshua joined forces with Davison, the former trainer of Tyson Fury, ahead of his fifth-round stoppage victory over Otto Wallin in December 2023.
The duo’s following assignment then saw ‘AJ’ blast through former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in two rounds, which, in turn, only added more credibility to their fighter-trainer dynamic.
But then, with Joshua suffering a fifth-round stoppage defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, the influence of Davison was suddenly thrown into doubt.
With the two-time world champion having not fought since that devastating loss, either, it was not long before a series of rumours began to surface that he had jumped ship.
As for his training situation moving forward, it has now been confirmed, by Joshua himself, that he will be working under the tutelage of Team Usyk in Spain.
This decision was made before the 36-year-old’s fight with Jake Paul, which takes place at the Kaseya Center, Miami, on December 19, had even emerged as a realistic option.
More than anything, it seems that Joshua was eager to learn from the training staff of Usyk, especially after suffering back-to-back defeats to the Ukrainian in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
While confirming his new training team at a press conference for his heavyweight clash with Paul, Joshua also recalled the conversation that he had with Davison, who is seemingly supportive of his decision, before making the switch.
“Ben Davison – phenomenal coach – alright, you know what, Usyk, [I asked] Ben what do you think? 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.”
