Is Ben Davidson the worst trainer of all time?

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by Bigplatts, Mar 13, 2025.

  1. Bigplatts

    Bigplatts Member Full Member

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    I can't think of a single boxer he's trained who didn't give the worst performance of their career when they were with him.

    AJ against Dubois. Taylor against Catterall (first fight). Parker against Fa. Wood against Lara (first fight). Fury against Wallin - okay Fury's Ngannou performance was probably worse than this but he didn't take that fight seriously, Wallin was a serious fight and he didn't look good.

    Even fighters Davidson has had success with would probably better with someone else. Fabio Wardley was gifted a draw against Frazer Clarke; yes he came back and looked great in the rematch but why did it take two attempts? Why tf did Leigh Wood go southpaw against Warrington? Awful gameplan.

    The guy is clearly good at motivating people (Fury, AJ) and is younger than other big name trainers so the fighters probably gravitate towards him because they have more of a laugh at his gym, but I'm honestly surprised anyone still works with him.

    Am I being too harsh on Boxercise Ben? Is there something I'm missing? How does he keep getting big names coming to his gym? Is he going to screw Itauma's career up before it's even began? Who is the worst trainer of all time?
     
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  2. Mark Anthony

    Mark Anthony Internet virgin Full Member

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    Head movement! Head movement!
     
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  3. DJN16

    DJN16 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    He clearly isn't a bad trainer given the names he has worked with and had moderate to mixed success.

    As for being an obnoxious ****** who loves himself, in a sport where I think he only had like 5 amateur fights and proclaims to be the hardest working coach around....he does not do himself any favours.
     
  4. Slyk

    Slyk Boxing Junkie Full Member

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  5. ForemanJab

    ForemanJab Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    He’s more of a self-help guru and weight loss coach than a boxing trainer.
     
  6. MidniteProwler

    MidniteProwler Fab 4. Mayor of Aussie Boxing Full Member

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    He is not that bad but he is a liar claiming that he went 17-0 as an amateur. I don't believe for a second that he has even had one amateur bout. I saw a video ages ago that killed me comparing Ben Davidson to David Brent from the office. The similarities were uncanny :lol:
     
  7. Slyk

    Slyk Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I seriously doubt he has even done any light sparring.
     
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  8. NullaLexInk

    NullaLexInk Sometimes a fella's just gotta be movin' on Full Member

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    I dunno man, in the short time I've been watching boxing I've seen some pretty garbage corner advice. The one that sticks out in my mind is when Zurdo was fighting Bivol, and late in the fight his corner man was saying "HE'S STANDING BETWEEN YOU AND IMMORTALITY! COME ON!"

    Like, cool line for the autobiographical movie you're writing in your head and all, but maybe he'd have appreciated some actual corner instructions there. In general, anyone who wants to act like they're a coach in a boxing film and shout what they think are quotable inspirational quotes instead of ever giving actual advice when their fighter is in desperate need of it should prolly top out the list of awful trainers.
     
  9. Babality

    Babality KTFO!!!!!!! Full Member

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    Doubt it.
     
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  10. LoniBana

    LoniBana Member Full Member

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    He isn't even the worst trainer of this era
     
  11. NullaLexInk

    NullaLexInk Sometimes a fella's just gotta be movin' on Full Member

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    Seeing this reminded me that Malik Scott is a trainer, and now I feel like the answer to the topic question has to be no just based on that fact.
     
  12. MidniteProwler

    MidniteProwler Fab 4. Mayor of Aussie Boxing Full Member

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    I have seen some shockers here in Australia one of my lads fought on a card in December last year and one of the other trainers I saw there was some bloke in his 50's who had never fought before he was some low level footy coach it was embarrassing I felt bad for his lad warming up and he lost his fight as expected got stopped in the second round.
     
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  13. bjl12

    bjl12 Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    This. He is good at managing the nuances of training and getting into the right mindset for a fight.

    He is no boxing teacher nor trainer though
     
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  14. tragedy

    tragedy Active Member Full Member

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  15. MorvidusStyle

    MorvidusStyle Boxing Addict Full Member

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    He's nowhere near as bad as Sucker Hill.
    Let's compare with Fury.

    Fury is a clever boxer and endurance fighter with okay but not massive power. Everyone with half a brain knows this.

    Davison played to his strengths, got him fit and lean as he could, worked on defence. Result, first Wilder fight Fury looked very good and performed excellently. His defence was amazing for most of that fight. The flash KD in round 8 wasn't much. If he'd listened to Ben in the final round and not tried to exchange he likely wouldn't have been almost KO'd and won comfortably. It was actually Roach egging him on to take it to Wilder.

    The Wallin performance was just bad luck, the cut was a freakish one from a very standard punch and changed the whole fight.

    Hill took Fury, told him he was a KO artist who just needed some Kronk techniques. Let him get fat and slow. Had him pressure and defend with punches to the face. He completely shrugged off the mma KO artist and almost had Fury face the greatest humiliation of any boxing champion ever. Fury took more damage against Wilder in the third fight than ever before. Fury got dropped some argue twice in the circus fight. Fury almost got stopped by Usyk (partly because of the circus fight). Fury took more damage with Hill than in his whole career before that.

    Ben is probably only useful for certain styles, probably defensive ones. But if he'd been with Fury for Usyk, Fury might have snuck a win.