Boxing thread | Page 35 | Vital Football

Boxing thread

Once could be one of those things . To perform like that again in a unified fight shows there is a fundamental flaw in AJ in skill and above all in mentality.
 
I posted two things earlier, AJ lacks a bit of personality for me was the first and the second is he fights like a 2D arcade machine where someone is pressing buttons to either jab with his left or throw a bigger right.

Put those two things together and the way he fights - given he is a chiselled body builder - just lacks personality. It’s why I prefer Fury now he’s calmed down, as he is a natural fighter even if he doesn’t look the part.
I have been to a few AJ fights paying some good money to do so, I wouldn’t pay to see another of his fights as a supporter of his. He’s lost me, I think he wants to be done with this game and sell his brand for the next 20 years on merchandise.
 
danvilla2 said:
I posted two things earlier, AJ lacks a bit of personality for me was the first and the second is he fights like a 2D arcade machine where someone is pressing buttons to either jab with his left or throw a bigger right.

Put those two things together and the way he fights - given he is a chiselled body builder - just lacks personality. It’s why I prefer Fury now he’s calmed down, as he is a natural fighter even if he doesn’t look the part.
I have been to a few AJ fights paying some good money to do so, I wouldn’t pay to see another of his fights as a supporter of his. He’s lost me, I think he wants to be done with this game and sell his brand for the next 20 years on merchandise.
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He's a very good, very well built orthodox boxer. Does all the basics well. Good power etc ...but does nothing exceptional.

His chin is also very questionable...and like Matt Targett, when the going gets tough and he's tired.... he's very uncomfortable
 
AJ... To quote McGregor... Is as stiff as cardboard.
No head movement. Stiff. Slow. Poor gas tank as highlighted again last night. Can't throw technical combinations.
These weaknesses have been very evident from fight 1. And he hasn't improved.
I'm happy for usyk. A proper boxer. His movement was amazing. So quick and agile. Fast hands. Great defence.
Usyk didn't look in danger at any point during that fight.
Just imagine what Fury would do to AJ? Scary.
All I heard from AJs corner was 'brilliant AJ' during the fight? Excuse me? What? They were obviously not watching same fight as me.
 
I watched the boxing last night hoping Joshua would win however I thought he looked far too relaxed and unfocused for the fight ahead and the alarm bells started to go off for me as he had that same look and attitude before he fought Andy Ruiz even laughing and smiling like he also did during the Ruiz fight.

He used the wrong tactics and he was lucky not to be knocked out in the 12th round. I've just heard him say he's "not bothered about losing and will put it right in the rematch"
well you should be bothered because you were made to look like exactly what you are and that's a big, stiff, robotic boxer with a weak chin who hardly bothered Usyk.

I wouldnt be supprised to hear Usyk has had harder fights but nevertheless, congratulations to Usyk on a great preformance and a well deserved win.

I've lost a lot of time for Joshua and I hope Usyk beats him easily again in the re-match.
 
Whats the consensus on here about Lawrence Okolie? I didn’t see the fight last night so I’ll try and watch it back, but he’s making good ground in the cruiserweight division and very comfortable from previous fights I’ve seen albeit against poor opponents which is understandable at this stage.
 
danvilla2 said:
Whats the consensus on here about Lawrence Okolie? I didn’t see the fight last night so I’ll try and watch it back, but he’s making good ground in the cruiserweight division and very comfortable from previous fights I’ve seen albeit against poor opponents which is understandable at this stage.
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He has all the tools and his height and very long reach makes him a very difficult man to face.

As you say most of his opponents were poor so we won't really know until he steps up in class.

One thing I think I did hear last night before his fight was that aged around 17 years he weighed around 240 pounds which is the weight Joshua weighed in for the Usyk fight!
 
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Thomas Holte said:
I watched the boxing last night hoping Joshua would win however I thought he looked far too relaxed and unfocused for the fight ahead and the alarm bells started to go off for me as he had that same look and attitude before he fought Andy Ruiz even laughing and smiling like he also did during the Ruiz fight.

He used the wrong tactics and he was lucky not to be knocked out in the 12th round. I've just heard him say he's "not bothered about losing and will put it right in the rematch"
well you should be bothered because you were made to look like exactly what you are and that's a big, stiff, robotic boxer with a weak chin who hardly bothered Usyk.

I wouldnt be supprised to hear Usyk has had harder fights but nevertheless, congratulations to Usyk on a great preformance and a well deserved win.

I've lost a lot of time for Joshua and I hope Usyk beats him easily again in the re-match.
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In some ways Tony Bellew gave him a tougher fight lol. Usyk could well stop Joshua in the rematch. Joshua doesn't have the heart for it either, I think he should retire.
 
Okolie looks good....for now.
We don't know however how good his defence or chin is like really as he has not been challenged. And at 28 he is not exactly a young up and coming fighter. Should have really stepped up by now if he was going to cause world class opponents issues. But who knows. Need to see him against a top 5 fighter to have any idea.
 
Bit of a gulf in experience as well .

Joshua first put gloves on in 2008. The same year Usyk was fighting in the Olympics.
 
Melon Donkey said:
Bit of a gulf in experience as well .

Joshua first put gloves on in 2008. The same year Usyk was fighting in the Olympics.
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Hmm, Joshua has 7 more pro fights and all at heavyweight. Usyk only has 3 pro fights at heavy so I don't really agree experience is a factor in favour of Usyk. Usyk is just a better boxer and crucially has a style Joshua doesn't know how to approach.
 
colavfc said:
AJ... To quote McGregor... Is as stiff as cardboard.
No head movement. Stiff. Slow. Poor gas tank as highlighted again last night. Can't throw technical combinations.
.
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I'd come into the thread to say the very same thing, if he got his combinations sorted, with the power he has, but as you say, he hasn't really changed through his career, and he is stiff. Relies on the power but seems to have lost the hunger - which you can understand, when you have that much money etc, not all are natural predator type fighters after-all.
 
Joshua threw more combinations earlier in his career but that would leave him gassed midway into fights. At 31 years old it's hard to make a boxer that much better.

He's done very well to have the success he has had. Especially for a guy who has limited boxing IQ and a dodgy chin. Power isn't always going to work and you need more dimensions and different looks.

It's a good point about his 'hunger'. Has he ever really had it? He was talking about his retirement plan last week - is that the mindset of someone who really wants it? You basically have one foot out the door when you talk like that.
 
Thomas Holte said:
He has all the tools and his height and very long reach makes him a very difficult man to face.

As you say most of his opponents were poor so we won't really know until he steps up in class.

One thing I think I did hear last night before his fight was that aged around 17 years he weighed around 240 pounds which is the weight Joshua weighed in for the Usyk fight!
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He’s almost a mirror image of AJ in terms of his presence and stature, and another north London lad. I think it’s easy to get carried away with these early wins but when you put these boxers into 12 rounds against top quality, you really see what they’re made of and AJ to me doesn’t quite have the bottle he needs in these situations. I do like the look of Lawrence though, star in the making
 
Pangloss said:
Joshua threw more combinations earlier in his career but that would leave him gassed midway into fights. At 31 years old it's hard to make a boxer that much better.

He's done very well to have the success he has had. Especially for a guy who has limited boxing IQ and a dodgy chin. Power isn't always going to work and you need more dimensions and different looks.

It's a good point about his 'hunger'. Has he ever really had it? He was talking about his retirement plan last week - is that the mindset of someone who really wants it? You basically have one foot out the door when you talk like that.
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I’ve felt AJ is more of a brand than a boxer for a while now. I suspect he’s more interested in sticking his name on gyms or boxing equipment merchandise as there’s market for him to have a wonderful pension for even just that. I can see him launching brands with apparel, gloves, bags and all that very shortly if he hasn’t already.
 
Okolie looks good to me but he's 29 this year and hasn't really fought anyone and is a minor belt holder. These guys who start late seldom go on to really become stars and dominate.
 
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