Amir Khan has insisted that Anthony Joshua reuniting with trainer Ben Davison will not be enough to secure victory in his heavyweight showdown with Tyson Fury.
Joshua and Fury are expected to finally end their long-running rivalry at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on December 11. Ahead of the all-British clash, Joshua revealed he would be working again with Davison, who previously trained Fury.
Trainer change questioned
Joshua left Davison after being knocked out by Daniel Dubois in 2024. He then joined Oleksandr Usyk's team for his two most recent wins, which were back-to-back knockout victories over Jake Paul and Kristian Prenga. Months after beating Prenga, the 37-year-old has changed trainers once again.
Khan believes the switch back to Davison will still not be enough. "He knows Tyson Fury well, but still, a trainer, it's not enough. A trainer can't tell him how to fight. You might tell him the fundamentals, that's about it, really, but a trainer really isn't going to make a difference," Khan told Hard Rock Bet.
Mental edge only
Khan suggested the reunion could offer only a psychological benefit. "Mentally, yes. It might be like a bit of a mental advantage that AJ has got over Fury, that I've got your old trainer in my corner. But I don't think it makes a difference because when you're in that ring, everyone's game plan changes when you get punched in the face."
Despite criticism that the fight is happening too late, Khan believes boxing fans are in for a treat. "It's a fantastic fight for the fans. Both fighters, we know, are not the same fighters as they used to be, and they are half of what they were, maybe five years ago. But what a fight it's going to be," he said.
A fight for the fans
Khan praised the decision to stage the fight in the UK. "It's a fight for the fans. I'm sure the fans are thankful that both Fury and AJ have made the fight happen in the UK. They managed to negotiate and to bring the fight in the UK, which everyone wanted to be at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. It's an amazing place."
He added: "I think location-wise, it is ideal for everyone to get to. I mean, it's going to be one of the biggest fights in Britain because we don't know who's going to win the fight. They are both no longer at their best. They're more towards the end of their career, but we still want to see both guys hit each other."
Khan offered a tentative edge to Fury. "If you look at them both, you might maybe lean more towards Fury. Maybe he is a little bit fresher. But then again, AJ's got power. Is he fresh enough to take the power that AJ still has because power doesn't leave you. Maybe the reaction timing from AJ might not be there. Look, this is a fight where both guys can bang and they can hurt each other and it doesn't go 12 rounds."
