Anthony Joshua has been advised to part ways with his trainer, Ben Davison, following his recent shocking knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium.
This recommendation comes from former world champion Roy Jones Jr., who believes that Davison’s lack of in-ring experience may have played a role in Joshua’s downfall.
Once the darling of British boxing, Joshua suffered a devastating loss to Dubois in front of 98,000 fans at Wembley, where he was knocked down multiple times before ultimately facing a fifth-round knockout, leaving his career hanging in the balance.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Jones Jr. did not hold back regarding Davison’s involvement in the defeat, stating, “It takes real boxing knowledge and IQ and people who have been there. You have to have somebody who knows how to navigate those tough moments.”
The boxing legend argued that Davison’s limited fighting experience puts him at a disadvantage when coaching at the highest level. “Yeah, I don’t think Ben Davison has had a lot of fights himself. He has had a lot of coaching, but he hasn’t been in the ring himself, and it’s challenging if you haven’t experienced it personally,” Jones Jr. added.
However, not everyone agrees with Jones Jr.’s viewpoint. Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, staunchly defended Davison, asserting that Joshua made decisions during the fight that Davison had not instructed him to take. In an interview with Boxing Scene, Hearn stated that the responsibility for the defeat lies squarely with Joshua, not his trainer.
“AJ did things that Ben didn’t tell him to do; he pulled back in a straight line with his chin in the air, his hand position, you know, all this kind of stuff,” Hearn said.
The loss to Dubois marks Joshua’s fourth career defeat, sending shockwaves through the boxing community. Legendary promoter Bob Arum suggested that Joshua’s career might be over. “No, you don’t have an off night like that,” Arum told FightHub. “I just think AJ has been through a lot of battles, and I think it’s over for him, just as it is for Wilder. Maybe they can fight each other; that would be interesting.”
The defeat has also had immediate repercussions for Joshua’s standing in the sport, as he has dropped six places in the latest WBO rankings, falling from the top spot to seventh place. This dramatic decline highlights the significant changes in the heavyweight division following the Wembley showdown.
