On the 23rd of December, former Unified Heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, 26-3, will face Swedish Heavyweight Otto Wallin, 26-1, in the ring. Ahead of the fight, Joshua switched from his former trainer Derrick James to Ben Davidson.

Since then, there have been numerous questions about the move. Finally, in his recent interview, Anthony Joshua revealed the real reason he started training with Ben Davidson ahead of the Wallin fight.

While many believe Joshua hired Ben Davidson because he previously helped Tyson Fury win against Otto Wallin, ‘AJ’ revealed that he was already training with Davidson months before the Wallin fight came. As per Joshua’s statement, while in the UK, the British Heavyweight needed a trainer to improve his skills. That is why he decided to hire Davidson only.

Likewise, speaking to Laura Woods from TNT Sports Boxing, Joshua said, “I’m based in America [the] majority of the time for training camp. And then when I’m back here [UK], rather than hitting a heavy bag by myself and making a hell of a mistake, I think it’s good to work with a coach to still sharpen my thoughts.”

“You brought it to my attention that he worked with Fury when he fought Otto. Crazy how it works. This fight came about two/three days ago. And we were working two/three months ago, So, we were working together anyway,” Joshua added.

However, ‘AJ’ does believe that Davidson will add something of significant value to his preparation since he already once prepared Tyson Fury against Otto Wallin.

‘AJ’ is not overlooking the fact that Davidson helped Fury win over Wallin via UD. Likewise, the 34-year-old said, “He’s been in there. He’s been in the corner.” In addition, Anthony Joshua acknowledged the kind of boxer Otto is. “Wallin is a tough guy. He’s never been stopped, never been hurt, durable. So, he’s going to be game,” he added.

Anthony Joshua faces his toughest test of the year in Swedish southpaw Otto Wallin, a win propelling him to a long-awaited mega-fight with fellow former champion Deontay Wilder.

Despite what’s on offer should he be victorious, ‘AJ’ will not be overlooking Wallin, who almost upset Tyson Fury’s plans a few years back before ultimately losing a tough-fought unanimous decision.

An intriguing thread to the narrative of the fight is that Joshua will not utilise the services of Derrick James, the Texan trainer who has overseen his two comeback wins this year against Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius.

Instead, and reportedly for one-fight logistical reasons, the Brit teams up with ex Fury coach Ben Davison, who’s last fight in ‘The Gypsy King’s corner was against Wallin.

Speaking to Seconds Out, super-middleweight world champion turned pundit George Groves said he was intrigued by the link up.

“I’m not sure the situation why there was a change of trainer whether it was a logistical problem or an actual problem, but Ben Davison is a very good trainer. A very, very good trainer.

He’s worked with a lot of good fighters at the highest level and I’m sure he’ll want to bring a little something to Joshua, but he’s a clever enough trainer to know that he doesn’t have to make wholesale changes or reinvent the wheel. Joshua the same – he’s been through the mill, he’s vastly experience, he knows what works for him. It could be a really good link up. I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with.”

Whilst ‘Saint’ George believes Wallin’s lefty stance could pose some problems, he said he can’t see by a Joshua win.

“Otto Wallin might be a tricky, tough fight. Usyk was a tricky character, and maybe Otto Wallin, another southpaw, could be a tricky fight. I can’t see anything apart from a Joshua win, but you never know.”

The fight takes place in Saudi Arabia on December 23, joined by Deontay Wilder-Joseph Parker and Daniel Dubois-Jarrell Miller.

Anthony Joshua has finally reacted to one of the highest profile heavyweight bouts of the year in Tyson Fury versus Francis Ngannou.

‘The Gypsy King’ welcomed Ngannou, a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, to the boxing ring for his first professional fight. Flipping the script that he would struggle, the underdog dropped Fury in the third and made it the ten-round distance, only losing out on a split-decision.

The scores were 95-94 and 96-93 for Fury, while the final judge had it 95-94 for Ngannou.

Joshua – who was in brief talks to face Ngannou and has had a long but as yet unfought rivalry with Fury – told TNT Sports he feels the MMA man won.

“I think Ngannou won, but the refs are there for a reason. They score it how they score it. I’m just an observer. Fury won, but I think from a fan’s point of view that Ngannou won.”

Joshua then relished in making Fury eat his words. The WBC Champion has often branded him a ‘bodybuilder who can’t fight’, and made fun of Ngannou’s impressive figure in the same vein.

“Bodybuilders up, dossers down. He just looked like a fat slob that just can’t fight. And he says that bodybuilders can’t fight, but he got smacked up by one.”

“I’ve always wanted to get in the ring with him. He does a lot of talking, calls me a bodybuilder and stuff, but one of my African pals who’s a bodybuilder stepped in and smacked him up for me.”

‘AJ’ then sympathised with his countryman, who will go into an undisputed fight with Oleksandr Usyk on February 17.

“It’s tough at the top. It is so tough at the top. Getting there’s one thing but staying there is another. You’re starting to see. That wasn’t even a world title fight. I think he’s had four world title fights. I had 12. It’s tough man, it’s not easy. Good luck to him anyway, but he’s gotta stop running his mouth cause it does come back and bite you.”

Anthony Joshua returns to the ring this month against Otto Wallin, a win there and some other puzzle pieces falling into place setting up a clash with Deontay Wilder and, in the future, Fury.

There’s perhaps no more bitter a heavyweight rival than Anthony Joshua and Jarrell Miller.

The two fighters haven’t yet made it into the ring, but have had plenty of verbals at press conferences and appear to harbour genuine bad blood.

That hasn’t stopped the controversial American from giving credit where it’s due.

In a promotional feature with DAZN, Miller rated the knockouts of fellow fighters, and was shown ‘AJ’s finish of Dillian Whyte back in 2015. Despite the animosity, he gave it top marks.

“Even though I can’t stand AJ, I would definitely give this one a 5 too. It was a good shot”

Joshua and Whyte met for the British Heavyweight title following a bitter build-up that promised spitfeful action from the first bell. The fight delivered on that front, with the favourite quickly disregarded his gameplan in favour of a firefight.

Joshua was notably wobbled by Whyte in an exchange, but it was a storm he would weather before delivering the final blow – an uppercut to cap off an unanswered flurry that sent Whyte onto his back out cold.

Joshua won the IBF Heavyweight World title in his next outing against Charles Martin, added the WBO to his collection against Wladimir Klitschko one year later and took the WBA from Joseph Parker in 2018.

Miller was to get a shot at all three of those belts in New York, but tested positive for various banned substances and was replaced with Andy Ruiz Jr – the man who changed the trajectory of Joshua’s career by handing him his first loss.

The Brit won the titles back in an immediate rematch, but would later lose them to Oleksandr Usyk and fail in his second crack at beating the Ukrainian.

He looks to continue to fight his way back to the top on December 23, sharing a card with Miller who faces Daniel Dubois.