Ben Davison believes his charge Anthony Joshua will knock out Francis Ngannou if the Cameroonian adopts an aggressive game plan.
Joshua meets former UFC heavyweight champion, Ngannou on Friday in Saudi Arabia, in what will be his second fight under Davison’s tutelage.
Ngannou shocked the world when he went the full distance in defeat to WBC heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury in October, in a fight many believed he’d done enough to edge.
‘The Predator’ knocked down Fury in the third round, but surprised many with his boxing ability, although Davison insists ‘AJ’ has prepared for all scenarios.
Asked if he thinks the 37-year-old will adopt a cautious approach, Davison told Queensberry Promotions: “The way that Anthony Joshua’s going to go about the fight, I don’t think it makes too much of a difference.
“I think AJ will be in control of certain situations.
“We’ve prepared for him to be gung-ho, be aggressive and try and bring the fight.
“I’ll be honest, I don’t think he lasts if he does that.
“One, I don’t think his engine lasts if he approaches the fight like that and two, I think he gets clipped if he goes about the fight like that.
“If he’s patient, I think AJ’s got the capabilities and the skillset to gradually, systematically, break him down and get him out of there that way as well.”
Joshua appointed the Essex trainer for his December stoppage win over Otto Wallin after spells with highly-regarded American coaches, Robert Garcia and Derrick James.
Davison was brought into prominence though his work with Joshua’s arch-rival Fury, before the pair split amicably prior to the Manchester man’s rematch victory over Deontay Wilder.
Earlier this week, ‘The Gypsy King’ praised the link-up and feels the pair should have worked together years ago.
“I thought it was a good link-up,” Fury told The Stopping Ground.
“I said years ago he [AJ] should have probably done that.
“Ben lives right round the corner from him, he’s a fun guy to be around and he’s a good trainer.
“I don’t see why AJ needed to travel to America when he could get good training in the UK, so that’s fantastic for him.”
