Anthony Joshua vs. Manuel Charr

Joshua is the WBC International champion, holding the belt that Charr failed to claim in his loss to Povetkin (who in turn dropped it to pursue the higher prestige of the WBC Silver belt in his climb back up the rankings) and rated #13.

Charr is the WBC Arabic, WBC Baltic and WBC Eurasian and former WBC Mediterranean champ (dropped and now held by Agit Kabayel) and former WBC International silver champ (dropped and now held by Edmund Gerber) and rated #9 by the org, for which he at one time held five minor belts.

At stake if they met, aside from Charr's three baubles and Joshua's one (holding more value than all three of Charr's put together, but itself still well behind Povetkin's Silver, let alone the real world title itself...) would be a bump up the rankings and possible showdown with a top five contender. Options would include WBC United States champion and #4 Mike Perez or WBC Eurasian Pacific champion and #5 Lucas Browne. Either could open the door for Joshua to challenge Povetkin for his Silver title, or Charr to rematch him for it. (which he would have earned if he beats Joshua and then Browne/Perez, even though it was thoroughly uncompetitive last time)

Joshua is coming off a four minute destruction of Denis Bakhtov, whom Charr fought a year earlier and who retired on his stool after five with injury despite having given Charr a tussle.

Before that, Joshua knocked out another common opponent, Konstantin Airich, in three. Charr did the same two years earlier in 45 seconds flat.

Charr is fresh off a retirement of 42-year-old Michael Grant, while Joshua is set to box 39-year-old Michael Sprott this weekend.

Who, now - how, and why? :think

 

This would be lots of fun while it lasted, I suspect.

Just picturing Charr attempting to impose his pressure on Joshua and getting calmly turned and countered as he came in flapping wide hooks... and then, what if he does put Joshua on the ropes, someplace we've yet to really see him? :think

 

Agreed on all counts. :good

 

Lots of people voting "who" - not many so far saying how or expanding on why. :nono :yep

 

For those with lingering doubts about Joshua's chin - if he were to laugh off some of Charr's best, would your doubts be eased or would it take more of a banger to convince you of Joshua's durability?

(granted, he already has technically faced a harder raw puncher than Charr in Airich, but Charr is a much better fighter, and heavy enough handed to expose truly subpar resistance)

 

High guard and very good chin, let's be honest. While his conditioning often leaves much to be desired and he isn't much of a technician, he is certainly hardy - and no he's not a KO artist but he does have some pretty heavy clubbing arm punches and can pressure all but the super heavies with sheer brawn and force of will.

I've little doubt that Joshua can handle Charr; what I'd be curious to see is how - and whether any speedbumps along the way.

 

You had me going there.