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Anthony Joshua's destiny against Tyson Fury is in his hands, not Ben Davison's
Nov 13, 2026 • 8:47 AM ET
Zachariah Delgado/MatchroomCARSON, California – Eddie Hearn is convinced Anthony Joshua will knock out Tyson Fury when the two former heavyweight champions finally collide on December 11 in Cardiff, Wales.
But the Matchroom Boxing promoter insists the responsibility for making that happen rests with Joshua, not his trainer Ben Davison.
Hearn, speaking Thursday following the Diego Pacheco-Darius Fulghum news conference at Dignity Health Sports Park, said he recently visited Joshua and dismissed criticism of Davison, who was in Joshua's corner when he was battered and stopped by Daniel Dubois.
Davison was also working with former champion Fabio Wardley when he was twice stopped by Dubois earlier this year.
The coach came under fire for the first loss in particular when Wardley looked unsteady for several rounds before eventually being stopped in the 11th round. Dubois won the return inside two.
Hearn, however, believes that victory is in the hands of Joshua alone, not his trainer.
"When you are as experienced and fit as Anthony Joshua, there is only one person who can win you that fight – that's you," Hearn said. "Yeah, the game plan can be right and Ben Davison can use his experience of working with Tyson Fury, but it's on you.
"If he goes in with the right mentality, he knocks out Tyson Fury. I know it. It's got to come from [Joshua], not Ben Davison."
- Tyson Fury
- Anthony Joshua
- Eddie Hearn
- Daniel Dubois
- Diego Pacheco
- Fabio Wardley
- Darius Fulghum
- Fury vs. Joshua
- Matchroom Boxing
Lance Pugmire has been a full-time boxing writer for nearly 20 years, serving now as BoxingScene’s U.S. Senior Writer and assistant producer for ProBoxTV’s “BoxingScene Today.” Pugmire capped a near 20-year career at the Los Angeles Times (sports investigations, NHL/MLB beat work, law enforcement/courts and boxing/UFC) to join The Athletic, and then USA Today. Pugmire’s stint at The Times started with the first Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez fight and the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jnr then-record pay-per-view, leading through a slew of ringside assignments at major bouts, including Mayweather-Pacquiao, Mayweather-Canelo and the Canelo-Golovkin trilogy. Lance’s appreciation for boxing is rooted in his admiration and appreciation for the fighters, gladiators who have proven to be the most forthcoming and candid of all the athletes he has interviewed over a career dating to 1990. Lance was honored to be named the 2022 winner of the Boxing Writers Association of America Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence and he’s collected many BWAA writing awards in categories ranging from breaking news to deep-dive long features.
