Anthony Joshua has officially turned back to familiar territory as he prepares for the most anticipated heavyweight super-fight of his career, reuniting with trainer Ben Davison ahead of his December clash with Tyson Fury.
The strategic shift sees Davison enter a uniquely fascinating position in the boxing world. The coach holds the distinction of having trained both Joshua and Fury at different stages of their stellar careers. Davison, who has also worked closely with rising and established heavyweight talents such as Fabio Wardley and Moses Itauma, first rose to prominence during a crucial period for Fury. He famously guided the "Gypsy King" through his remarkable comeback from a long hiatus from the sport, overseeing an unbeaten run that notably included Fury’s thrilling first world title fight against Deontay Wilder in 2018.
More recently, Davison shifted his focus to Joshua’s camp, though "AJ" subsequently experimented with a series of changes, bringing in trainers from Oleksandr Usyk’s camp for his last two bouts. Now, however, Joshua has chosen to bring Davison back into the fold. This reunion carries immense narrative weight, as Davison will find himself standing in the opposite corner to Fury for the very first time in a professional fight. The crossing of lines has already added personal spice to the buildup, with Fury branding his former mentor a "traitor" as the verbal sparring begins well ahead of opening bell in Cardiff on December 11.
Despite the history and the dramatic headlines, Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, insists that the reunion is less about targeting Fury specifically and more about finding the right tactical balance. According to Hearn, Joshua has quietly maintained his working relationship with Davison even while cycling through different training setups, ensuring a smooth transition back to the British coach.
"Ben’s a great trainer. Even in the last fight and the one before, he was always working with Ben Davison behind the scenes," Hearn told Sky Sports News, shedding light on the behind-the-scenes continuity that many fans and pundits might have missed.
"Obviously, Ben Davison knows Tyson Fury pretty well as well. I don’t think that’s the defining reason. But AJ just felt it would be a good addition to the camp. So, he’ll be the head trainer going into this fight. He’s still working with Usyk’s team and those guys as well."
Joshua’s journey through the coaching ranks has been notably nomadic since his long-term partnership with Rob McCracken came to an end following his initial defeats. In the years since, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion has employed Robert Garcia and Derrick James, before transitioning through Davison and subsequently working with Iegor Golub from Usyk’s elite camp.
Yet, promoter Hearn firmly rejects the notion that Joshua’s corner is unsettled or that the constant rotation of trainers points to a lack of long-term vision. Instead, he characterizes the changes as fine-tuning rather than an overhaul, emphasizing that Joshua’s overarching mission remains remarkably simple.
"I think AJ knows where he is, but I don’t think he’s going to start changing things around. He just wants to tweak things and get things right from a strategy perspective," Hearn explained. "He knows what he needs to do. And ultimately, that’s land one straight on his chin and knock him spark out. That’s the game plan. And we’ve got to find a way to do it efficiently and correctly. And he’ll do that studiously with Ben Davison and the team."
Nelson ‘surprised’ at Davison decision
While the camp prepares for the tactical demands of meeting Fury in the winter, the decision to bring back Davison has not been without its external critique. Former world champion and respected Sky Sports boxing expert Johnny Nelson admitted that Joshua’s choice has left him somewhat perplexed, raising valid questions about stability and consistency in elite-level training camps.
"Ben’s come under a lot of criticism and stick more recently for his charge over a couple of other fighters," Nelson told Sky Sports News, reflecting on the broader scrutiny faced by boxing trainers in the high-stakes heavyweight division.
"Obviously AJ feels comfortable with whatever message Ben Davison is bringing to him. I think I saw Tyson and Shane Fury walking past and calling him a traitor, and he had a little smile on him. I’m just surprised, but this is his choice."
Nelson, who built his own storied career on the foundations of long-term stability with trainer Ingle, expressed broader philosophical concerns regarding the modern trend of fighters frequently changing their corner teams ahead of marquee matchups. He argues that building genuine trust takes time, and that constant reinvention can sometimes disrupt a fighter’s internal rhythm.
"I don’t agree with fighters chopping and changing trainers all the time, because you need to feel that you create a relationship, a trust, a belief in your coach," Nelson added. "If he says jump, you don’t say how high, you just jump, and so I struggle to understand the chopping and changing. But this is AJ’s call, he’s obviously done it for a reason. It’ll be interesting."
