Comments Thread For: Trainer Ben Davison Insists Anthony Joshua's Improvements Are His Own

[petegrif]

I respect AJs commitment to hard work and to learning. He's prepared to work to improve. And IMHO he is still improving. I don't think we've yet seen the best of him. He achieved more and faster than his experience should have allowed largely because of physical gifts. Better technique with the same gifts is where he's been heading and I think it is paying off.

[PBR Streetgang]

It's not some completely foreign and outlandish concept that a trainer can positively affect the performance of a fighter. We've seen it time and again. In the heavyweight ranks rather recently, look at Sugar Hill Steward with Fury vs Wilder and the reemergence of Joseph Parker under Andy Lee's tutelage. Sometimes it's not new techniques, it could just be a fresh approach or newly gained confidence.

Davison has guided a few fighters to notable improvements in performance. To my eye, AJ looks less hesitant with more controlled aggression in the last two fights. A notable shift from the Franklin and Helenius fights.

[thack]

They obviously gel and unlike a lot of coaches Ben doesn't need the praise .It's great to see Joshua in this frame of mind and not being held back by promoter or coach, good luck to him , he made a statement. This is the guy I've missed for a long time and wasn't sure I'd see again!

[pollywog]

It's not some completely foreign and outlandish concept that a trainer can positively affect the performance of a fighter. We've seen it time and again. In the heavyweight ranks rather recently, look at Sugar Hill Steward with Fury vs Wilder and the reemergence of Joseph Parker under Andy Lee's tutelage. Sometimes it's not new techniques, it could just be a fresh approach or newly gained confidence.

Davison has guided a few fighters to notable improvements in performance. To my eye, AJ looks less hesitant with more controlled aggression in the last two fights. A notable shift from the Franklin and Helenius fights.

AJ had nothing to be hesitant about in the fight against his sparring partner. He knew Wallin was his bïtch and would roll over for a tummy rub once he pressed him.

And with the gift of hindsight its easy to see AJ had no hesitation in pulling the trigger once he figured out Ngannou didn't know what the hell he was doing in switching to southpaw in the first round.

[jqSide]

What is he supposed to say?

[PBR Streetgang]

AJ had nothing to be hesitant about in the fight against his sparring partner. He knew Wallin was his bïtch and would roll over for a tummy rub once he pressed him.

And with the gift of hindsight its easy to see AJ had no hesitation in pulling the trigger once he figured out Ngannou didn't know what the hell he was doing in switching to southpaw in the first round.

We can say similar things about the Helenius and Franklin fights...with the gift of hindsight of course. Franklin has never been known for his pop and while Helenius can crack, he doesn't really have much durability or gas tank these days. Yet we saw hesitation in both of those fights.

[pollywog]

We can say similar things about the Helenius and Franklin fights...with the gift of hindsight of course. Franklin has never been known for his pop and while Helenius can crack, he doesn't really have much durability or gas tank these days. Yet we saw hesitation in both of those fights.

Helenius was lined up at the last minute to give AJ some rounds then take one on the chin and fall over like he did for his bud Wilder.

The only hesitation was whether Big Bob would follow the script and give AJ the opportunity to uncork on him.

Fair play to Fast Eddie for cherry picking fights for AJ to build his rep and ego back up, but until he lines up a true legit contender - like the gauntlet of death rowers Parker has just run through in his last two outings - we still don't know if AJ is back or in his prime or whatever.

Ducking Wilder, Zhang, Parker and Hrgovic to expose the 'boxing' fraud Ngannou is means little despite Hearn's blowhardiness.

[factsarenice]

AJ had nothing to be hesitant about in the fight against his sparring partner. He knew Wallin was his bïtch and would roll over for a tummy rub once he pressed him.

And with the gift of hindsight its easy to see AJ had no hesitation in pulling the trigger once he figured out Ngannou didn't know what the hell he was doing in switching to southpaw in the first round.

Wallin...isn't he the same guy that was beating on Fury until the 6th,when Fury started holding and wrestling on the ropes? Tony Weeks allowed all Fury's holding. Weeks is a huggers referee, they love Tony. Ben Davis was in Fury's corner for the fight... no?

Your right about Ngannou, Fury pick him because he didn't know what the hell he was doing right up until he put Fury down.

[Spartacus26]

I agree with Ben. This is primarily about Joshua and the fact that he has regained his confidence more than anything else. However that to the side I do see improvement in his jab and how he chooses his punch selection in setting his man up. No matter how you look at it Joshua has been active more than his contemporaries in the last year and committed to working on his game. Staying active is the BEST thing for a heavyweight especially entering their mid 30s. With Joshua it was more mental in my view than the physical and technical aspects. I would like to see him face the Fury/ Usyek winner because AJ would undoubtedly bring more interest to the division as a champion should he prove victorious. He isn't lackadaisical like the mercurial Fury and he's more from a media standpoint, accessible than Usyek. Plus he does have POWER and that's something that has been a tried and true formula for bringing backsides to stadium seats.

[Roberto Vasquez]

I dont buy into the idea that hes some monster now or something compared to what he was 5 years ago. I think the main thing is hes probably been getting his confidence back staying active and putting people on the highlight reel while at the same time seeing Fury and Wilder totally **** the bed.

Absoulutely right. He made some mistakes against Ngannou too esp after the first knockdown. I was watching it thinking "What the hell are you doing?". Ngannou countered AJ well early on. Although Ben said here that was part of the plan to set up a trap - Aj still got caught.

This is the problem with boxing though - you lose one fight you are a failure and should retire OR you win a fight and you become a god. This is how boxing makes it;s money - it turns boxers into unbeatable gods. Just like Ngannou became for some people before this fight. Now people are saying he is nothing. Same old, same old.

AJ is definitely a lot better than he was. I think this interview with Ben is misleading. He wanted to give AJ some credit. He has repeatedly said that AJ knows how to do the basics but that his job is to spot things he can improve or tweak. Also he spends ages analyzing the opponents for weaknesses. And also has to help maintain AJ's skills and stop bad habits creeping in. What is great about Ben is he doesn't try to change AJ's style - like Derek James was doing