The man who pushed Anthony Joshua to the top of the heavyweight division has a history of doing just that. Ben Davison brought Tyson Fury back from the brink in 2016 in what can only be described as a wild ride that saw the ‘Gypsy King’ lose 10 stone and become world heavyweight champion once again.
On Friday night, Joshua fights former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in a contest that is far from straightforward, as Fury found out when he was pushed to the wire in a controversial split-decision win last November.
Davison’s background in rebuilding heavyweights makes him a natural choice to run Joshua’s corner and camp; although his most high-profile veteran offense is the new fighter’s opponent.
At just 31, three years younger than Joshua, Davison is renowned for developing fighters’ minds as well as their physical and fighting skills. It was his “runnability” and “versatility” as well as his considerable size that impressed Davison when he quickly began working with Joshua before his stunning win over Otto Wallin last December.
“I remember thinking ‘because he’s a mountain’ but he’s just polite, professional and then when we did some work it came to my mind ‘he’s very coachable’,” Davison told Telegraph Sport. “Professionalism, coaching, that’s something that’s really important to me.”
So what does coaching really mean at this level? Joshua is already an Olympic gold medalist and two-time world heavyweight champion. “Well, if I say, ‘you’re doing this, this is a problem, you need to stop doing this,’ some fighters will leave, but… That’s a direct red flag for me.
“This is the difference. So if there was something we wanted to remove from his game, we would say we wanted to remove that from the game. And if there is still resistance then it is not coachable.
“But that’s not the case with AJ; he’s very manageable and very professional. He doesn’t even show up on time, he gets up early every day, he warms up properly, he’s ready to start on time, with every detail taken care of. He has a real passion for the game too, and that’s what I see.” I love.”
Joshua recently spent 96 hours in self-imposed exile in the dark, paying the price for the privilege of a holistic center. Davison’s theory as to why this seems like an appealing way to spend four days is illuminating.
“I have my reasons why he did it, and I think it’s very difficult for people to even understand what life is like for someone like Anthony Joshua,” Davison explains.
“Everywhere you go, every person you meet meets Anthony Joshua, but every person he meets is a different person, and I think he feels like he has to follow through with, ‘I meet Anthony Joshua,’ every time.” time. This is a huge responsibility.
“He really is a superstar, it’s a lot to deal with, and here he acts like one of the kids at camp. He likes it. The McCormack twins give him some stick, and he gives him some stick, and he absolutely loves it because he probably doesn’t get that much anywhere else. “It was definitely two good camps.”
Joshua has at times been criticized as a robotic fighter with technical and mental weaknesses. Davison grins and shakes his head, strongly disagreeing with this point of view.
“Look, he had two rematches right off the bat. [Andy Ruiz and Oleksandr Usyk] and I think that says a lot about someone’s character and mental state,” he explains. “It’s a lot to deal with, he’s been under a lot of pressure his whole career and that shows his mental strength.
“We’ve got clips of his defense, and his instinctive defense is good. Look, he’s an Olympic gold medalist, two-time world heavyweight champion, an extraordinary fighter with extraordinary qualities.”
‘The most criticized warrior’
Davison adds that the analysis of his accusation is exaggerated. “I think he’s the most criticized fighter, I think if he’s wearing an airpod that’s commented on in the press conference, if he’s wearing a hat that’s commented on, I think if he’s frowning a little bit on that face, that’s commented on, whereas someone else could be him and that’s okay.
“This makes him the most criticized and talked about fighter. Everything is analyzed, which must be a lot of pressure, but he deals with such things wonderfully. “Honestly, it’s water off a duck’s back.”
Along with his gym analysis colleague Lee Wylie, Davison believes they have come up with the perfect game plan for Ngannou, who showed more than patience, strength and skill against Fury more than four months ago.
Davison also believes Joshua has his “strategy ready” to beat Usyk if he fights the Ukrainian for a third time after two punishing defeats.
But standing in the opposite corner now is Ngannou, who has an incredible backstory. “I’m confident my guy will get the knockout against Ngannou, we believe we have the plan and the skills,” Davison says.
So is Fury next? “Ask me again after Fury and Usyk fight on May 18th…I will let you know then.”