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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Donagh Corby

Ben Davison "laughing off" criticism over coaching methods after Josh Taylor win

Ben Davison and world featherweight champion Leigh Wood have been laughing off criticism in training camp.

Wood will defend his WBA belt against unbeaten Irishman Michael Conlan at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham on Saturday night, with Davison in his corner for the third time.

He has yet to lose at the top level as a head coach, but is controversial in certain circles for his methods and outspoken nature, including branding other British trainers as "lazy".

But all of the critiques, which again intensified after his charge Josh Taylor's split decision win over Jack Catterall last month, are like water off a duck's back according to Wood.

"It's business as usual," Wood told Mirror Fighting speaking as an ambassador for The Skinny Food co . "It's one of them where people have always got something to say.

"We laugh it off, to be honest with you, I don't want to get into it too much but once you know why something is happening you can laugh it off.

Ben Davison and Leigh Wood are unfazed by criticism (Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)

"People will always say something about me or Ben, when I fought Can Xu people said he was going to use my head as a speed ball because he throws this many punches.

"The same people will probably be saying after that 'ah well, he had a long time out of the ring, he didn't turn up,' people will always have something to say.

"We're basically just focused on doing out job and getting the win."

Davison has become a key player in the mental battle going into Wood's fight with Conlan after an alleged exchange between the coach and a Sky TV personality where he is said to have predicted Reece Mould would beat him for the British title.

Jamie Conlan, Michael's brother and manager as well as a former world title challenger in his own career, pushed the Brit during the pair's press conferences in Nottingham and Belfast to launch the fight.

But Wood has laughed off Conlan's efforts to get in his head as troll tactics aiming to cause doubt in his camp ahead of the biggest fight of his career.

"They're just trying to get us rattled in any way they can," Wood explained. "It is just not working.

"Ben put a lot of time, hours, patience into me for that Reece Mould fight and all he said was that if I get it wrong I would get beat.

What do you make of Ben Davison as a trainer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

"But he was saying that if I get it right, I'll beat him and that's pretty much it, it's all in the prep where if you do what you're told you won't be in for a hard night.

"That's all that was said, he's just trying to make a bigger deal of it than it was, trying to rattle us and divide us a little bit but we're smarter than that."

Wood insists it's the elder Conlan brother who is in his own head, declaring that he is like an "ex-girlfriend" with the amount that he looks at the champion's social media posts.

"They're trying to rattle us but they're rattled!" Wood joked. "Jamie views my stories more than my ex-girlfriends.

"Every time I post something he views it, he doesn't even follow me!

"They know what they're up against, they can say all they want and act as confident as they want but I see straight through it, he's in for a hard night."

Leigh Wood is an ambassador of The Skinny Food Co.

Their range features over 260 great tasting, healthier alternative products, from sauces and syrups, to high protein, low sugar snacks, cooking sprays, flavoured coffees, Fakeaway sauces, meals and more.

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