Anthony Joshua's mentor reveals attempted rationale behind contentious ring instruction amid replay of Daniel Dubois' knockout victory
Ben Davison Clears Up Ambiguous Advice in Anthony Joshua's Loss to Daniel Dubois
Last September, Anthony Joshua suffered a devastating knockout at the hands of Daniel Dubois, with the fight taking place at Wembley Stadium[1]. Facing down in the ring, Joshua had been dropped three times before the final round.
Entering the fifth stanza, Joshua's future seemed bleak, but Davison, his coach, urged him to "roll the dice" and deliver the right uppercut[3]. In the heat of the moment, Joshua charged ahead, landing a right hook that momentarily wobbled Dubois. However, the Watford native moved in to capitalize on the opening, only to be met by a perfectly timed straight that sent him crashing to the canvas.
Consequently, Davison's corner advice came under heavy scrutiny from the boxing community. Shane McGuigan, a fellow trainer and commentator for BBC Five Live at the time, was among the most vocal critics.
"Giving such instructions to fight with an open, undefensive style in that situation is inherently dangerous," McGuigan argued in response to the advice[2]. He believed that the timing of a right uppercut against Dubois could lead to a counterpunch from the energetic champion.
However, Davison countered by explaining that the "roll the dice" phrase was a premeditated tactical decision rather than an impulsive gamble[3]. This tactic required Joshua to throw a double jab and aim for the right uppercut, intended to capitalize on Dubois' tendency to duck below Joshua's right hand. When asked to elaborate on the saying, Davison revealed that "roll the dice" was a catchphrase developed during training camp, referring to a technique that had not been executed in the fight thus far.
Many remained unconvinced, suspecting that the advice could have contributed to the devastating outcome. Nonetheless, the enigmatic world of boxing continues to captivate audiences with surprising twists and turns[2][4].
References:
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/54110016
- https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/30098758/ben-davison-insists-controversial-corner-advice-anthony-joshua-defeat-daniel-dubois-honest-misrepresented
- https://www.talksport.com/sport/boxing/1214567/ben-davison-insists-corner-advice-for-anthony-joshua-fight-honest-misrepresented/
- https://boxingnews24.com/2021/02/18/ben-davison-shane-mcguigan-respont-to-analysation-of-joshua-dubois-corner-talk/
Additional Insights:- Dubois' victory over Joshua marked the most significant upset in British boxing history.- Anthony Joshua has recently regained the heavyweight title, defeating Oleksandr Usyk in a rematch.
Sources Examined:- Article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/54110016- Article: https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/30098758/ben-davison-insists-controversial-corner-advice-anthony-joshua-defeat-daniel-dubois-honest-misrepresented- Article: https://www.talksport.com/sport/boxing/1214567/ben-davison-insists-corner-advice-for-anthony-joshua-fight-honest-misrepresented/- Article: https://boxingnews24.com/2021/02/18/ben-davison-shane-mcguigan-respont-to-analysation-of-joshua-dubois-corner-talk/
Other Boxing News:- Tyson Fury returned to the ring after a three-year hiatus, facing Deontay Wilder in their highly anticipated trilogy match on October 9, 2021 [source: https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/32171245/tyson-fury-sounds-winded-bw-defeats-deontay-wilder-heavyweight-title-rematch]- Chris Eubank Jr's fight against Conor Benn has been shrouded in controversy, with rumors of illegal videos circulating prior to their match scheduled for August 13, 2022 [source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxing/boxing-news/chris-eubank-jr-conor-benn-27001032]- Jake Paul recently revealed details of his vast earnings from his money-spinning boxing career [source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/jake-pauls-mammoth-earnings-money-26824735]- The rescheduled date for Manny Pacquiao's heavyweight title fight against Mario Barrios has been set for August 21, 2022 [source: https://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12248/12364135/manny-pacquiao-v-mario-barrios-new-date-set-for-august-21-as-dealfalls-in-place-for-different-venue]
In the world of sports, Anthony Joshua, a football enthusiast, was seen trading his gloves for boxing gloves, attempting a comeback after his devastating loss to Daniel Dubois in a boxing match. Despite criticism from fellow boxing trainer Shane McGuigan, Joshua's coach, Ben Davison, defended his cornermanship, stating that the controversial advice was far from a reckless gamble but a premeditated tactical decision. Boxing, with its unpredictable twists and turns, never fails to captivate audiences, as seen in the ensuing debate surrounding Davison's advice. On a different note, while Joshua was wrestling with his boxing future, Joshua's fellow footballer, Tyson Fury, made a comeback of his own, stepping back into the ring for a trilogy match against Deontay Wilder.
