TYSON FURYโS trainer Ben Davison just wants fight week to be over.
The endless interview requests. The cameras in his face. The criticism from those who believe he will not be able to cope under the pressure. Not only for him, but for the โGypsy Kingโ, who challenges WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder on Saturday night.
Davison, who turned 26 this week, was a surprise choice to take over from Peter Fury when Tyson announced his return earlier this year. Unproven as a coach at world class level he might be, but Davison has already achieved a miracle by guiding Fury back to fitness. Yet his inexperience has led many observers to question if he can cope with what lies ahead.
โWhy would I feel pressure?โ Davison told Boxing News, slightly agitated. โBecause of what Tom, Dick and Harry have got to say? Not really, not bothered. Itโs difficult. Youโve got people that will support you, then youโve got the haters. Do you know what it is? Itโs because weโve done everything right.โ
โI canโt stand all of this media stuff, but I suppose itโs got to be done,โ he continued. โIt is a job and thereโs always aspects of the job that you donโt want to do.โ
Itโs been a hectic fight week for all involved, particularly for Wilder and Fury, who have fulfilled myriad media commitments.
โHeโs good, heโs okay,โ Davison said of his charge. โIf he doesnโt want to do something, I make sure it gets cancelled or gets stripped back because his best interests are what matter. Weโre here to fight and this is just part of it.โ
Tempers ran high at Wednesdayโs final press conference when the rivals almost came to blows following an argument that escalated quickly.
โI knew it was going to go that way,โ said Davison. โIโve told Showtime a million times to make sure thereโs security there because I know whatโs going to happen. Itโs two big characters, two alpha males, nobody wants to give an inch. What happens when two alpha males come together in the jungle? The same thing.โ
Wilder โ who came to boxing as a 20-year-old โ took offence to Furyโs declaration that his family had been fighting for 200 years, compared to the championโs comparatively limited experience of combat. It quickly became racially fuelled, with Wilder referencing the battle endured by his African American ancestors, which can be traced back 400 years.
โI donโt know what he meant when he started talking about 400 years,โ Davison explained. โI think he thought that when Tyson said my people have been fighting for 200 years, he thought Tyson meant Travellers and his culture. But what Tyson meant was his family โ his dad was a fighter, his dadโs dad was a fighter. But Wilder got the wrong end of the stick.
โI like Deontay Wilder so I donโt want to press on the subject. At the end of the day youโve got get in there and fight on Saturday, and thatโs what matters.โ