'He's an animal' – Eddie Hearn reveals how Anthony Joshua has been transformed by Ben Davison
22/12/2023 12:20
Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn is excited about the prospect of Anthony Joshua rolling back the years during the Day of Reckoning.
The former two-time heavyweight world champion is set to face top contender Otto Wallin in Ridyah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.
At the peak of his powers, Joshua was a knockout machine who raced to the elite level and scored big stoppage wins over Dillian Whyte, Charles Martin, and Wladimir Klitschko.
However, a shocking upset loss to Andy Ruiz in 2019 seemingly changed his style for good and he became a much more calculated – and less entertaining – boxer.
Ahead of his latest fight, which he hopes will lead to a mega-money clash with Deontay Wilder, Joshua has teamed up with Tyson Fury's old trainer, Ben Davison.
According to the Matchroom Boxing boss, they have quickly struck up a partnership that has seen the British fan favourite return to his best form.
"I haven't heard what I've heard coming out of camp for a long time, in terms of how he's looking, and what's been happening in sparring," Hearn told talkSPORT on Thursday.
"Someone like Ben Davison sitting down with me and going, 'Jesus! This guy is an animal.'”
Jousha has bounced around coaches since parting ways with his long-time trainer Rob McCracken in the aftermath of his first loss to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021.
Hearn now believes he's found someone he truly gels with.
He added: "Josh is not the kind of fighter you can just sort of massage his neck and say, 'C'mon mate, just get in there and let your hands go'.
"He needs to understand the game plan. Ben Davison and Lee Wylie are kind of game plan experts, they can pick the game plan well and they can explain it quite well to the fighter.
"As long as Josh feels confident in the game plan, and what he's got to do, he buys in, and you get that confidence."
Davison is expecting a big performance from Joshua this weekend, and his promoter simply cannot wait to see what the unlikely duo have been working on in the gym.
Hearn said: "For people like Ben Davision, who is on a great run at the moment, to turn around and say, 'Tell you what, watch this on Saturday'. You know, I'm excited to see it.
"You've still got to do it in the ring, but when you are sparring like that, and you are putting that kind of hurt on people – we haven't seen that for the past three, four or five fights.
"I feel like he's been looking for that connection and I think he's got it."
talkSPORT will bring you live radio commentary as Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder face a ‘Day of Reckoning’ in a historic boxing show in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.
