Home Boxing News Ben Davison reveals Tyson Fury habit that cost him Deontay Wilder fight

Ben Davison reveals Tyson Fury habit that cost him Deontay Wilder fight

Tyson Fury and Ben Davison. Photo credit: Getty Images

Tyson Fury’s former trainer says the self-styled Gypsy King was guilty of a habit that cost him the win against WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in December 2018.

Wilder was able to salvage a draw after knocking down Fury twice late in the contest despite being outboxed for much of the fight in their classic battle in Los Angeles a little over a year ago.

Ben Davison, who trained Fury for the fight, believes Fury’s habit of touching his face and wiping his nose was a clear tell that Wilder was able to capitalise on.

“Fighters have habits and tendencies and that’s what you look for as a trainer. If you do something too often and for too long at the top level you’ll be made to pay for it,” Davison told BT Sport.

“What Wilder does is he bounces on the spot, not back and forward, but on the spot and it’s a mental reset.

“For Tyson, it’s when he touches his face and wipes his nose and I know Wilder worked on that and went to throw.

“Something happened at the end of the eighth round; when Tyson got hit with a right hand on the top of his head, he wiped his nose, touched his face, a bit of a reset.

“Then in the 12th there was space behind Tyson to step into to take the distance away but he didn’t do it, and I believe it was a single lapse in concentration because of the habit.

“It’s something to be aware of; when he’s training and he does it, add a step on it or add a reset where he moves, changes position and it takes it away.

“It’s something Wilder’s team was aware of and worked on.”

Fury dumped Davison as trainer following his tougher-than-expected win over Otto Wallin in favour of Javan ‘SugarHill’ Steward.

The new partnership will be under the spotlight when Fury rematch Wilder at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 22.

“I think Tyson now knows he has to respect that right hand for 12 rounds and if he can add that into his next performance I believe he wins,” added Davison.