The secret weapon used by Joshua and Itauma that could give Wardley the edge against Parker

Fabio Wardley will be the underdog against Joseph Parker, but Sam Brookes examines how a secret weapon in his corner could help him pick up a career-best win

Wardley, right, knocked out Justis Huni in June (Steven Paston/PA) (PA Wire)

Fabio Wardley will step up for the biggest fight of his career when he faces Joseph Parker on Saturday night.

The Brit is unbeaten as a professional but will enter the ring as the underdog against the former heavyweight world champion.

However, Wardley could have a trump card up his sleeve.

As well as his long-term trainer Robert Hodgins, Wardley will also have Ben Davison in his corner. Davison also coaches fellow heavyweights Anthony Joshua and Moses Itauma and is rated as one of Britain’s best trainers.

So, could he give Wardley the edge on fight night?

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Fabio Wardley (pictured) faces Joseph Parker in London on Saturday (Ben Whitley/PA) (PA Wire)

World level experience

Davison has been involved in huge fights for several years after first linking up with Tyson Fury for his comeback in 2018.

He guided the ‘Gypsy King’ through his first clash with Deontay Wilder as Fury largely outboxed his American rival before being dropped twice late on in a thrilling battle that was scored a draw.

Davison and Fury went their separate ways just a couple of fights later, but the former went on to train more world champions in Billy Joe Saunders and Josh Taylor.

In more recent times he has worked alongside Joshua and Itauma, highlighting his impressive CV.

Wardley is potentially one fight away from a shot at the undisputed heavyweight king, Oleksandr Usyk, and Davison knows exactly what it takes to get a fighter ready for the big time in boxing’s blue-riband division.

Anthony Joshua (right) with coach Ben Davison ahead of a fight with Otto Wallin (Getty Images)

How has Davison fared with Joshua and Itauma?

Davison first start working with Joshua in late 2023 when the two-time heavyweight champion appeared to be at a career crossroads.

Joshua had lost twice to Usyk before returning with underwhelming victories against Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius.

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He agreed to face Otto Wallin in December 2023 and needed to make a statement. With Davison in his corner, he did exactly that, punishing Wallin for five rounds before the Swede was pulled out of the fight.

A crossover bout with Francis Ngannou was next up and Joshua looked even more impressive. He showed a ruthless streak that had been missing for some time as he sent Ngannou to the canvas twice before knocking him out in brutal fashion inside two rounds.

That victory led to Joshua receiving the chance to become a three-time champion when he took on Daniel Dubois last September.

Unfortunately for Joshua, it was a disastrous night from the very start as he was knocked down heavily in the first round. Davison tried to help him get back into the contest, but Joshua never fully recovered and was stopped in the fifth round.

There has been a setback with Joshua but there have been no such issues with Itauma.

The 20-year-old has been trained by Davison since early 2024 and has picked up some very convincing wins during this period to move towards the world stage.

He knocked out Dillian Whyte in under two minutes in his last outing in August and looks well-placed to mount a title challenge in 2026.

Davison knows Wardley’s limitations

Wardley experienced the most difficult night of his career when he faced Justis Huni in June.

Round after round, Wardley was picked apart by his Australian rival as Huni’s superior boxing skills and amateur background came to the fore.

But Wardley turned the fight around in dramatic fashion, landing a huge right hand to win by knockout in the 10th round.

It could be argued that it was a lucky escape for Wardley as he was well behind on the scorecards, but Davison’s comments after the fight indicated he was not surprised how the fight played out.

Although he admitted it was a “frustrating” evening, Davison noted how Huni had been called upon as a late replacement for Jarrell Miller and brought a very different style to the table.

He revealed how he had told Wardley that he may be outboxed at times, but the key was to remain patient.

Huni built a significant lead over the first nine rounds, yet Wardley stayed in the contest, knowing he only needed to find one punch to hurt Huni.

That moment arrived in the 10th round, and Davison deserves credit for not panicking and maintaining faith in Wardley that he could get the job done eventually.

Fabio Wardley (left) was trailing on the scorecards when he shocked Justis Huni with a late knockout (Getty Images)

Will Davison give Wardley the edge over Parker?

Parker has been a world-class operator for the best part of a decade after winning the WBO title back in 2016.

He has fought far better competition than Wardley and has a clear advantage when it comes to experience.

With all these factors in mind, it would not be a surprise to see Parker get on top in the early stages of Saturday’s fight.

But that is unlikely to bother Wardley and Davison as they have been in this position before just four months ago against Huni.

Davison knows exactly what Wardley is capable of and he has already navigated him through tricky waters in a fight.

He may be required to do so again this weekend and Wardley can trust him to give the best advice to get him over the line on what promises to be a career-defining night.

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