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Once seen as a damaged man in the boxing community, Anthony Joshua has set out on a path of self-improvement and self-discovery. Following his breakup with Rob McCracken, his first trainer, and a brief period of time spent working with Robert Garcia, Joshua found fresh direction with Derrick James and now Ben Davison.
Joshua travelled across the Atlantic and experimented with several coaching philosophies in his search for the ideal coach. Garcia's connection with him ended abruptly following Garcia's defeat against Oleksandr Usyk. Joshua had to start again after this loss, looking for a trainer who would fit with his approach and way of thinking.
Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) defeated Robert Helenius and Jermaine Franklin under Derrick James. But Joshua's performance in the ring was just as important as his victory. Even with these victories, his performances were marred by discomfort and a noticeable lack of confidence.
Unexpectedly, Joshua disclosed that he had chosen to collaborate with Ben Davison prior to his altercation with Otto Wallin. This partnership paid off, as Joshua showed off his former, dominant form and stopped Wallin in the fifth round with style.
After beginning as an experiment, Joshua and Davison's relationship has now become more permanent. They will keep working together for Joshua's forthcoming fight on March 8th against Francis Ngannou. Joshua credits Davison's strategy of complimenting rather than trying to alter his inherent style for their seamless collaboration.
Joshua, who is renowned for his reflective tendency, finds reflection on the last several years to be both illuminating and confusing. Although he admits that his prior teachers were knowledgeable, he became confused because of their continuous adjustments to his technique. Using Davison's advantages—his stature, explosiveness, and knockout power—has been the main strategy.
Less emphasis has been placed on technicality by Davison in favour of appreciating Joshua's natural qualities. "You're a gigantic, f------ unit. Davison said, "You're explosive, go knock f------ people out," according to Joshua. Joshua's fire appears to have been reignited by this uncomplicated strategy, which may hold the secret to his success in the heavyweight class.
Anthony Joshua's boxing career is becoming more clear and purposeful as he gets ready for his upcoming test. Joshua and Ben Davison's connection reflects not only a fighter-trainer dynamic but also a shared sense of Joshua's genuine boxing identity.
How does Anthony Joshua's most recent change in training with Ben Davison affect his next bout with Francis Ngannou? Talk about your ideas and forecasts.
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