Anthony Joshua Splits Training Camp Three Ways for Tyson Fury Fight
Joshua is dividing time between Ben Davison in Essex, Team Usyk in Spain, and Derrick James in Texas ahead of a December 11 fight.
Anthony Joshua is taking a multi-pronged approach to cracking the Tyson Fury puzzle, splitting his training camp between three separate locations and coaching staffs ahead of their targeted December 11 showdown in Britain.
Eddie Hearn confirmed that Ben Davison will play a significant role in the preparation. "Ben Davison will definitely be involved in that camp and that process," Hearn told Boxing News 24. The Essex-based trainer previously coached Fury during his 2018 comeback and knows the Gypsy King's tendencies intimately, though critics have pointed out that the Fury of 2018 bears little resemblance to the more physically imposing version who later trained under SugarHill Steward.
Joshua is also maintaining his ongoing relationship with Team Usyk in Spain, where he has been working on the strategic side of his game. Hearn described the connection as consistent: "He's always been working with him strategically, talking all the time." The third piece of the puzzle is Derrick James in Texas, who has been part of Joshua's recent preparations.
The multi-camp model is not without risk. Splitting time between three different coaching philosophies can lead to a cluttered game plan, and Joshua's career has featured several trainer changes that coincided with uneven performances. The counterargument is that each camp addresses a different piece of the Fury problem: Davison brings the intel, Usyk's team brings the ring IQ, and James brings the power-punching foundation.
Joshua reportedly turned down more lucrative offers to keep the fight in the UK, per Hearn. A venue announcement is expected in the coming days, with Cardiff emerging as the frontrunner.
Three camps, three coaching staffs, three countries. I understand the logic and I still think it is the wrong move for Anthony Joshua. His career is full of trainer changes that lined up with his worst performances. Adding voices before the biggest fight of his life feels like a man who does not trust any one plan.
The pieces individually make sense. Davison knows Fury from 2018, even if that Fury barely exists anymore. Usyk's team knows how to beat everybody. Derrick James is the power foundation. On paper it covers every angle. In the ring, you get one game plan, and if the corner has three opinions in round seven, that is where fights get lost.
What I do respect is turning down bigger money to keep it in Britain. Cardiff in December is the right stage. My advice: pick one head voice, let the others consult, and walk in with a single plan you believe in.
