Anthony Joshua vs. Oleksandr Usyk.

Winner?

  • Total voters
    246
  • Poll closed .
Sonxy said:
I agree, but maybe Usyk gained some power too etc. we will see.
For me its clearly AJs best opponent since old Wlad, even if Usyk is more a cruiser.
And respect to Usyk for trying it, even if it may be the retirement paycheck.
Im hyped too.
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I am of the same opinion too. Usyk will be by far the most talented boxer Joshua has faced since Wladimir.

Usyk has already built a legacy at CW and is at the endpoint of his career so even a loss is just a win of a really fat retirement paycheck. AJ will be under more pressure here considering he is in front of a huge hometown crowd, is fighting an unknown to the casuals undersized challenger and can't allow another ala Ruiz I fiasco.
 
I'm gradually being brought over to the idea that Usyk has a better shot in this fight than I originally thought (although I have been leaning this way for awhile, as I've said in a few prior posts). I still maintain he as all his original flaws, but his feet and stamina could really be a difference. Seeing an ancient Wlad give Joshua (albeit a raw Joshua) fits by feinting and changing the distance, mostly by virtue of having much better feet, makes me think Joshua won't score as much as one might assume early in this fight. If he doesn't amass a considerable advantage by around 4-5, then I think he's in a bit of trouble.

Usyk isn't a great defensive fighter (at least he wasn't at CW and hasn't been at HW), but he's got very good feet. Joshua has developed his jab a lot, but I'm really not sure he controls the distance that much with it against a southpaw with really good feet and above average craft. If that fails, he's drawn into forcing exchanges, which could work, but it's risky business (both in terms of burning energy and risking getting walked into counters). I see too many issues with Joshua's game to be sure of him in most contexts, even if he should still definitely be favoured. It's not that Joshua doesn't do a lot of things reasonably well, but he lacks that polish and assuredness of most elite HWs throughout history.
 
FlowchartRog said:
Fair enough, it was just one of many things that spring to mind when describing Joshua. And tbh, partly to counter the weird notion he's this great highly skilled boxer.

We've seen robotic fighters have success, but I'm not sure anyone is going to be describing Big Joe Joyce as a great flawless boxer :D

And btw I don't think combos have that much to do with being basic or not. You can drill some preset combos into anyone, true skill is knowing when and where to throw, tricking your opponents, setting traps, countering effectively etc, being unpredictable, outthinking your opponent etc.
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jow Joyce is an enigma at HW, just like wilder in some respects. There’s obvious weakness’s (speed being the most obvious), but he has a couple of key attributes that make him a fuckin dangerous fight in this division. In any other weight class these guys would not be anywhere near the top of the tree
 
JayE said:
I'm gradually being brought over to the idea that Usyk has a better shot in this fight than I originally thought (although I have been leaning this way for awhile, as I've said in a few prior posts). I still maintain he as all his original flaws, but his feet and stamina could really be a difference. Seeing an ancient Wlad give Joshua (albeit a raw Joshua) fits by feinting and changing the distance, mostly by virtue of having much better feet, makes me think Joshua won't score as much as one might assume early in this fight. If he doesn't amass a considerable advantage by around 4-5, then I think he's in a bit of trouble.

Usyk isn't a great defensive fighter (at least he wasn't at CW and hasn't been at HW), but he's got very good feet. Joshua has developed his jab a lot, but I'm really not sure he controls the distance that much with it against a southpaw with really good feet and above average craft. If that fails, he's drawn into forcing exchanges, which could work, but it's risky business (both in terms of burning energy and risking getting walked into counters). I see too many issues with Joshua's game to be sure of him in most contexts, even if he should still definitely be favoured. It's not that Joshua doesn't do a lot of things reasonably well, but he lacks that polish and assuredness of most elite HWs throughout history.
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Many people overlook that Joshua is fairly green. Began boxing at 18 and considering that he got pushed to the moon right after his Olympic win and never had time to learn and level up his ring smarts, it's safe to say that he'll always remain green to a certain degree.
Yea he beat a seasoned Wladimir Klitschko, but that was because he's a phenomenal athlete with exceptional physical attributes, not due to a high ring IQ... If he was born in the US, he'd probably be a tight end in the NFL now.
 
FlowchartRog said:
Fair enough, it was just one of many things that spring to mind when describing Joshua. And tbh, partly to counter the weird notion he's this great highly skilled boxer.

We've seen robotic fighters have success, but I'm not sure anyone is going to be describing Big Joe Joyce as a great flawless boxer :D

And btw I don't think combos have that much to do with being basic or not. You can drill some preset combos into anyone, true skill is knowing when and where to throw, tricking your opponents, setting traps, countering effectively etc, being unpredictable, outthinking your opponent etc.
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But Joshua doesn't just throw combos, he manages to land them too. That takes some skill to do. A common combo he uses is to throw hooks to get the opponents guard up and then when they do he fires vicious uppercuts up through the middle. Then when he fought Ruiz he totally changed up his style and boxed behind the jab, so he has the ability to adapt. And as @Jonny Ninja said he's looking more fluid these days with the weight he's dropped.
 
I am SO PUMPED for Joshua vs Usyk!!! I need real Boxing fights after tonight circus event. That was sad tonight using Holyfield like that.
 
Still leaning towards a late Joshua KO.
 
I don’t usually call fights because I usually keep that to myself unless it’s painfully obvious.

I have to be honest here, as much as I would love to see Usyk shut Joshua, Eddie and his fan base for good, I just don’t see it happening, Usyk may be a better boxer (maybe) but the size is too much, I see this as a boring cautious Joshua win where Usyk lands good shots throughout the fight but never hurts him.

I just don’t picture Usyk out boxing Joshua or Fury but I do see him out boxing Wilder for 12
 
BoxingMMA said:
I don’t usually call fights because I usually keep that to myself unless it’s painfully obvious.

I have to be honest here, as much as I would love to see Usyk shut Joshua, Eddie and his fan base for good, I just don’t see it happening, Usyk may be a better boxer (maybe) but the size is too much, I see this as a boring cautious Joshua win where Usyk lands good shots throughout the fight but never hurts him.

I just don’t picture Usyk out boxing Joshua or Fury but I do see him out boxing Wilder for 12
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Since it’s worth pushing an actual boxing thread above the Triller bullshit it certainly deserves a bump.
 
Anthony Joshua is just Frank Bruno 2.0 , he got knocked out by an overweight cab driver with a 64% knockout rate , Usyk has a chance to beat him.
 
p4pfighters said:
Anthony Joshua is just Frank Bruno 2.0 , he got knocked out by an overweight cab driver with a 64% knockout rate , Usyk has a chance to beat him.
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lol at calling Ruiz a "cab driver."
 
aries said:
I think that's a bit harsh. He was fucked up (in round 3) but went on for 4 more rounds whilst being concussed. From round 3 he never looked recovered but he lasted until round 7. That's not what I'd call a quitter.
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I’m going to reconsider my previous conciliatory post and say fuck that. Joshua used to make a big thing in his interviews about being a gladiator, going out on his shield and all that, but then didn’t.

By his own self proclaimed standards, he quit.
 
Boxiana said:
I’m going to reconsider my previous conciliatory post and say fuck that. Joshua used to make a big thing in his interviews about being a gladiator, going out on his shield and all that, but then didn’t.

By his own self proclaimed standards, he quit.
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Fair enough, plenty of fighters quit, Dubois did with his eye socket, so to did BJS with his eye socket after talking a lot of shit about they'd have to carry him out of the ring. It's a tough sport and I don't hold anything against anyone who wants to avoid permanent damage.
 
Boxiana said:
I’m going to reconsider my previous conciliatory post and say fuck that. Joshua used to make a big thing in his interviews about being a gladiator, going out on his shield and all that, but then didn’t.

By his own self proclaimed standards, he quit.
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Tbh I thought he was stalling for time with the ref, not that he definitely wanted out
 
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