Joshua Keeps Ben Davison, Team Usyk Ties for Fury Camp

Anthony Joshua is heading into training camp with Ben Davison still in his corner rather than committing fully to Oleksandr Usyk's coaching staff, promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed. Joshua has been splitting time between Usyk's training setup in Spain and Derrick James in Texas, but he has returned to Davison's gym in Essex and plans to keep all three relationships intact heading into a fight expected against Tyson Fury.

Hearn has not named a permanent head trainer or locked in a camp base, but he made clear Davison is not being phased out. "I think in some capacity he'll stay close to them," Hearn said of Joshua's ties to Usyk's team, adding that Joshua "respects Ben a lot" and that Davison "will definitely be involved in that camp and that process."

Why Splitting Trainers for Fury Is a Gamble

Leaning on Davison for Fury insight carries real risk because Fury has already beaten the version of himself Davison built. Davison coached Fury through the comeback stretch that included the 2018 draw with Deontay Wilder, a fighter who worked behind a light jab and lateral movement to steal rounds from the outside. Fury dropped that approach and Davison along with it in late 2019, switching to SugarHill Steward and rebuilding himself into a bigger, forward-marching heavyweight who leans on opponents, ties up their arms and grinds through the clinch. Any game plan Davison draws up from his time with Fury is scouting a fighter who no longer exists, while the current Fury has years of firsthand experience reading exactly how Davison sequences a fight plan.

Bringing Usyk's camp into the picture adds a separate problem. Usyk beat Fury with cruiserweight footwork and constant angle changes, a toolkit built for a smaller, faster frame. Joshua is a bigger, more upright fighter who does not move that way, and asking him to blend Usyk's lateral instincts with Davison's structured combination work risks making him look mechanical rather than sharper.

Joshua's Trainer Changes Since Rob McCracken

Joshua has moved through Robert Garcia, Derrick James, Davison and now consultations with Team Usyk since splitting from long-time trainer Rob McCracken. That pattern matters heading into a Fury fight because Joshua's knockout loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley came when the fight turned chaotic early and he looked stiff and unprepared for sustained pressure. Fury, by contrast, has stuck with one system under Steward for years and built his identity around physically imposing himself on bigger men.

Betting Angle

Books have not needed much convincing that size and momentum favor Fury in matchups like this, and a Joshua camp built around three overlapping voices rather than one clear strategist is not the kind of story that moves bettors toward the underdog. If Joshua's team cannot settle on a single lead trainer before fight week, expect any market lean toward Fury to hold or firm rather than tighten, since split camps have historically been a yellow flag for heavyweights facing a bigger, physical opponent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is training Anthony Joshua for his fight with Tyson Fury?

Anthony Joshua has not named a single head trainer. He is keeping ties with Ben Davison in Essex while also working with Derrick James in Texas and consulting with Oleksandr Usyk's team in Spain.

Why is Ben Davison controversial as a Tyson Fury tactician?

Ben Davison trained Tyson Fury during his 2018 comeback and Wilder draw, but Fury later dropped that style for SugarHill Steward's more physical, forward-pressing approach, meaning Davison's experience is with an outdated version of Fury.

What did Eddie Hearn say about Anthony Joshua's coaching setup?

Eddie Hearn said Ben Davison will be involved in Anthony Joshua's camp in some capacity and that Joshua respects him, while also confirming Joshua will likely stay close to Oleksandr Usyk's team without naming a final head trainer.