American boxing icon, Roy Jones Jr., has advised Anthony Joshua, to part ways with trainer Ben Davison following the British heavyweight’s shocking defeat to Daniel Dubois last month.
Joshua entered the fight as the heavy favourite, coming off a streak of recent successes in the ring.
However, the former two-time heavyweight champion was visibly struggling from the onset, with Dubois dropping him four times before securing a stunning knockout in the fifth round to retain his IBF title.
Despite the crushing loss, Joshua made it clear that he has no plans to retire from the sport.
Speaking after the fight, he said, “You’re probably asking if I still want to consider fighting. Of course I want to continue fighting.”
Joshua, who did not take questions during the post-fight press conference, remained resolute. “We took a shot at success and we came up short. What does that mean now? That we’re going to run away? We’re going to live to fight another day. And that’s what I am – I’m a warrior.”
Joshua reflected on his career and remained proud of his accomplishments. “Always walk with your head high. We rolled the dice for the third time. There have been 13 world-title fights, not every one of them has been successful but every one has been fun and entertaining. There were a few mistakes in there but that’s the name of the game. Fine margins will cost you at the top level.”
Joshua also extended respect to Dubois, saying, “We have to give credit to our opponent Daniel. When I sign up to fight opponents, I don’t really like them in my head any more. But now that it’s done, I take my hat off to him and say well done.”
Following this loss at Wembley, Joshua has slipped to seventh in the heavyweight rankings. While fans are anticipating Dubois to challenge the winner of the highly anticipated rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, a second bout with Joshua seems more plausible.
Dubois’ promoter, Frank Warren, has revealed that Dubois is set to return to the ring early in 2025, with a rematch against Joshua tentatively set for February 22 in Riyadh.
As rematch discussions surface, Roy Jones Jr. has expressed that for Joshua to stand a chance in a potential second fight with Dubois, he needs to change his corner.
Jones criticized Davison, claiming that his lack of in-ring experience as a fighter limits his ability to guide Joshua through high-stakes bouts.
Speaking on talkSPORT boxing, Jones remarked, “It takes real boxing knowledge to prepare yourself and get better. If you don’t have someone with real IQ and boxing knowledge who has been there and done that, they can’t teach you anything. You need someone who can charter those seas when they get tough. I don’t think Ben Davison has been in enough fights. Ben has done a lot of coaching, but it’s hard when you haven’t been there yourself.”
Jones drew comparisons with Davison’s former pupil, Tyson Fury, noting that Davison was also dropped as Fury’s trainer just months before his rematch with Deontay Wilder.
Fury later brought in SugarHill Steward to guide him through the biggest fights of his career.
Expanding on his point, Jones added, “Some guys get lucky, but it’s very difficult for a coach who hasn’t been there himself. I can’t tell you how to swim through the ocean if I’ve never swam through the ocean before. I’m sorry. It’s nothing against Ben Davison because he’s been good, but when you get in that deep water and you ain’t been in that deep water, that shark-infested water, it’s hard for you to tell somebody what it’s like because you’ve never been there.”
