In a surprising move, former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has confirmed he will change trainers ahead of his December showdown with YouTube sensation turned boxer Jake Paul.
Shock Trainer Switch Ahead of Crucial Bout
The 36-year-old British boxer revealed during a press conference at Miami's Kaseya Center that Ben Davison will not be in his corner for the highly anticipated fight scheduled for 19 December. Joshua explained he found London "a bit distracting" and has instead been training with Oleksandr Usyk's team in Spain.
"I was invited to train with Team Usyk, so we've been doing some good training in Spain," Joshua stated. "He's one of the best in the world, [that's] also down to his team." Although Joshua clarified he doesn't spar directly with Usyk himself, he described the intense training regimen, saying: "They're killing me, drilling me."
Uncertainty Surrounds New Head Coach
In a curious development, Joshua mentioned that "Igor" would serve as his head coach for the Paul fight, though it remains unclear precisely to whom he was referring. Yuri Tkachenko has long been Usyk's primary trainer, having guided the Ukrainian fighter to undisputed championships in both cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions.
This represents Joshua's latest in a series of trainer changes in recent years. The Olympic gold medallist has worked with Robert McCracken, Robert Garcia, Derrick James, and most recently Ben Davison, who was in his corner during Joshua's brutal September 2024 loss to Daniel Dubois that saw AJ knocked down four times.
High-Stakes Professional Showdown
The upcoming bout will take place as a professional heavyweight contest at Miami's Kaseya Center on 19 December, streaming live on Netflix. The fight is scheduled for eight three-minute rounds using standard 10oz gloves.
Joshua brings a professional record of 28-4 with 25 knockouts into the match, having taken what he described as a planned 12-month break from boxing. "I wanted to take 12 months out of the game, and I've done that, so it was time to get back to work," Joshua explained, mentioning he had been focusing on business ventures but has since "realigned my vision board" and trimmed down his team.
His opponent, 28-year-old Jake Paul, holds a 12-1 record with 7 knockouts. Paul most recently outpointed former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in June at cruiserweight, and twelve months ago defeated 58-year-old boxing legend Mike Tyson at heavyweight.
Paul confidently predicted a "fourth- or fifth-round knockout" against Joshua, stating: "He is one of the best heavyweights ever, but I believe fighting a smaller man is sometimes difficult because of the speed difference, the head being off the centre. I just have to avoid that one shot for eight rounds."
Joshua acknowledged the unusual nature of the matchup but gave credit to Paul and his team. "You've got to give credit to Jake and his team," Joshua said. "They reached out to me, to be fair. It was a great opportunity for me. We're bringing marketability together with ability – those two worlds."
