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RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – MARCH 08: Anthony Joshua pose for a photo with Eddie Hearn, Promoter of Matchroom Boxing, Ben Davison, Head trainer of Anthony Joshua and the rest of his team after the Heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou on the Knockout Chaos boxing card at the Kingdom Arena on March 08, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Anthony Joshua will have a new voice in his corner for his bout with “The Problem Child,” Jake Paul.
The two-time heavyweight champion confirmed he is no longer training under Ben Davison and instead prepared for the fight alongside members of Oleksandr Usyk’s team.
Joshua (28-4, 24 KOs) faces Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) in a professional eight-round heavyweight bout Friday, Dec. 19, at Miami’s Kaseya Center, with the fight streaming on Netflix.
The matchup ranks among the most unusual in recent years, with Paul, a 28-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer, aiming to shock one of the era’s most accomplished heavyweight champions.
Joshua, 36, has been out of action since suffering a fifth-round knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024 and later underwent elbow surgery.
GettyMIAMI, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 17: (L-R) Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua face off during the press conference at The Fillmore Miami Beach on December 17, 2025 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images)
Who is Anthony Joshua’s New Trainer?
For the fight against Paul, Joshua’s corner will be headed by Iegor Golub, a former amateur teammate of Oleksandr Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko who is best known for his work with Denys Berinchyk, the former WBO lightweight champion from Ukraine’s famed 2012 Olympic team.
According to Usyk camp manager Serhii Lapin, Golub will operate as part of a larger, collaborative training team.
“It’s not one person. It’s a team — a head coach, an assistant, and several strong specialists. A structured system where each is responsible for their part,” Lapin told Ready to Fight.
Joining Golub in Joshua’s corner on fight night will be strength and conditioning coach Jakub Chycki and veteran cutman Russ Abner. Usyk will not be in attendance.
When asked by ESPN whether Usyk would ever corner Joshua, Lapin said, “For championship fights, I think yes.”
Who is Iegor Golub?
Golub is a well-regarded figure on the Ukrainian boxing scene and a member of the “Ready to Fight” team, known for his strong emphasis on technique and tactics. His approach centers on strategy and refining a fighter’s existing strengths rather than trying to remake them entirely.
Speaking to Pro Boxing Fans, Golub said the partnership came through Usyk. “How did we meet Anthony Joshua? Ask Oleksandr Usyk about it, please,” he said, while taking care not to overstate his own role.
Golub also stressed that Usyk and Joshua are vastly different fighters in the ring, with distinct rhythms, instincts and tactical requirements.
“Usyk and Joshua are two different types of boxers,” Golub said. “Did I teach Anthony anything new? We’ll see on December 19.”
Despite the hype surrounding the Paul fight, Golub emphasized one key point: there is no place for arrogance in boxing.
“For me, there are no simple fights in boxing,” he said. “We treat any opponent with respect. No one jokes about boxing.”
That approach aligns perfectly with Joshua’s demeanor throughout this camp: calm, focused, and serious.
Much of Joshua’s preparation has occurred at Usyk’s training base in Spain, an environment rooted in discipline and precision. Golub brings a strong amateur pedigree of his own, having competed in the flyweight division from 2008 to 2016 before moving full-time into coaching.
Drake Bentley is an award-winning investigative journalist and breaking news reporter for Heavy, covering football, basketball, legal affairs and entertainment. Drake has covered sports, including the NBA Finals, NFL Draft, and major trending stories, since 2019. More about Drake Bentley
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