Eddie Hearn backs Joshua to knock out Fury, but says one thing must come first

Eddie Hearn believes Anthony Joshua will knock out Tyson Fury, but only if he enters the ring with the right mentality.

The Matchroom promoter backed Joshua ahead of their Cardiff showdown on 11 December, while insisting trainer Ben Davison cannot deliver victory for him. Speaking to BoxingScene in Carson, California, on Thursday, after the Diego Pacheco vs Darius Fulghum press conference, Hearn put responsibility firmly on the fighter.

He had recently been to see Joshua, and came away convinced.

Eddie Hearn: ‘It’s on you’

Hearn acknowledged the importance of preparation, but said Joshua must deliver in the ring.

“When you are as experienced and fit as Anthony Joshua, there is only one person who can win you that fight, that’s you,” Hearn said. “Yeah, the game plan can be right and Ben Davison can use his experience of working with Tyson Fury, but it’s on you.”

Then came the prediction. “If he goes in with the right mentality, he knocks out Tyson Fury. I know it. It’s got to come from [Joshua], not Ben Davison.”

That is a big call from a promoter who has been beside Joshua through his best nights and his worst. Hearn backs his man to win, but makes clear the responsibility sits with Joshua rather than the corner.

Why Ben Davison is under the microscope

Davison has had a rough run in the headlines. He was in Joshua’s corner when Daniel Dubois knocked AJ down four times and stopped him in the fifth round at Wembley in September 2024.

He was also working with Fabio Wardley when Dubois stopped him twice this year, beating him in back-to-back fights. Those results led to hard questions about the corner, and some of that noise has followed Davison into this camp.

The twist, of course, is that Davison used to train Fury. He was the man in Fury’s corner when the Gypsy King rebuilt his career after his long layoff. That inside knowledge is a big reason why Davison’s move into Joshua’s corner caused such a stir. Hearn accepts that experience can help, but he does not think it wins fights on its own.

Fury vs Joshua prediction: where things stand

The two great British rivals finally meet at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on 11 December, a fight fans have waited on for the best part of a decade. You can find all the build-up and fight details on our Fury vs Joshua fight page.

Fury has won twice this year. He beat Arslanbek Makhmudov on points at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April, then Mariusz Wach was pulled out by his corner after seven rounds in Pattaya in July.

Hearn’s mind already seems to be racing ahead too. Earlier this week he said Joshua wants revenge on Dubois after Fury. For now, though, his message is simple. Joshua has the tools. He just has to use them.

For more on the big names, visit our Anthony Joshua page and the latest from our boxing news desk.