Two-weight champion turned boxing analyst Tim Bradley believes trainer Ben Davison will add a new dimension to Devin Haney’s team ahead of the American’s bout with Venezuelan veteran Jorge Linares tonight in Las Vegas.
Englishman Davison was a surprise addition to the Haney set-up, but is on a roll after helping guide Josh Taylor to victory over Jose Ramirez in their undisputed super-lightweight showdown last weekend.
According to Bradley, Davison is the man of the moment and brings a much-needed “x-factor” to the corner of WBC lightweight title holder Haney, who is undoubtedly talented, but has lacked spark in his last two contests.
“Davison has shown in a short period of time, first with Tyson Fury, and then this past weekend with Josh Taylor, that he’s a tremendous asset to any team,” Bradley told ESPN.com.
“That’s because of his boxing knowledge — not just throwing punches, but what he does in and out of the ring; how he guides his fighters during the course of a fight, giving technical instruction of what they need to do. A lot of trainers tell you what you need to do, but they don’t tell you how.
“Davison is one of those guys that tells you how to get in position to be effective. So I’d say he’s the x-factor for this fight. And I’d also say this: now that Haney has gotten together with a real teacher, he’s going to be a problem for anybody at 135.”