Should AJ fight Usyk on the outside?

Well, Ward was really legit Olympic champ and this at first. Next, he I think was more fair pro boxing champ than Clenbuterol Diva, expect Kessler and Kovalev fights. Where I think vs Kessler headbutt was without previous intent. He might had cleared himself out of doubts with rematch vs Kessler. Preferably in U.K.
Ward does know clinch game better than Loma, Usyk, Loma's dad and even Vitali Klit for example and better than A.J and his handlers.
Ottke too did some stuff where he was superior if compare with Usyk.
Each boxer does have strong and weak sides, pros and cons. Elite level handlers should do homework how to prepare their lad for next opponent.

I really suspect that papachenko is not right man to teach someone how to properly plant foot and fight in clinch, this is first thing here.
Next, I have doubts that Loma still does knows that A.J will not be judged like Gassiev or Briedis on scorecards in fight vs Usyk.
Maybe Usyk does have more brains than Loma's dad cos he had exp with Bellew and Huck and Hunter.

I really guess, maybe Loma should replace his dad with some other coach.
Sorry, in pro game you should not trust nor on fair ref nor fair judges cards. More than this, if someone does not have brains insert rematch clause if he does have 3 belts and next opponent 1 belt, then no question here, does not matters are you boxer or trainer or manager, this is NO comments.

Loma is very good ultra elite level boxer but Papachenko was glad that lad who does have <140 lbs weight in the ring fights in 135 lbs division cos, it is cool to have multiple belts.
While Loma most likely without problems might had some couple more fights at 126 lbs, more fights at 130 lbs.
Lads competing at 130lbs might be 140-143 lbs in the ring, 10 lbs is under IBF, others 10% and not always even this is set in stone.
If Salido was approx 128 lbs for fight at 126 lbs and weighted more than 143 lbs in the ring ( 126 lbs division ), imagine how much % they does cut?

 

I actually lean towards a rough and tumble strategy.. Take advantage of AJ's awful gas tank, don't allow him to box at his pace. Afterwards Usyk might be able to even get a stoppage. Though AJ may employ Klitschko's patented lean strategy.

 

Usyk by late knockout. Marks my words.
He will completely outbox aj and aj will start getting desperate from the 8th round on and will empty his gas tank with missing big shots and gets countered with a lot of hard punches

 

I've said this before but the branding of AJ as a "throwback fighter" is quite interesting. I think it's to condition his fans for him taking a few losses. The connotations of a "throwback fighter" is someone who'll take on all comers, but might have 4/5+ losses on his record.

Modern day fans are used to fighters preserving their "0" and the mystique that comes with an undefeated fighters.

 

I see this happening also.

 

Horns fidgeting and what not was good enough to beat Pacquiao (yes, I scored it by a point to Horn and people who cry robbery in that fight need to take their fan hat off). Pac couldn't time him coming in at all. Pac doesn't fight so we'll in the clinch and got bossed.

 

Back to this thread though, yeah I think Joshua will look to box on the outside probably. It is more up to how Usyk wants to fight. If he starts the fight retreating, I see the fight having a low punch output.

 

Let's not get ahead of ourselves now, Usyk is a CW stalwart but p4p Ward is better than him.

 

Yes. A low-tempo chess match would be better for AJ.

 

Why?

 

More proven against various styles and versatile at all ranges , won most of his big fights in shutout UDs against solid fighters , only Kovalev could claim that he beat Ward for which he made adjustments in the rematch by going to the body from the beginning and won the fight.

I rate Usyk very highly but his inside game isn't very good which could've given him extra edge at HW to compensate for the lack of his punching power.

 

It was funny to see Tim Tszyu handling Horn like a child in the clinches. I loved every second of that beating Tim put on him.

 

Better argument than I was expecting.

I wouldn't say various styles, he hardly fought any boxers in his career, most of his fights were against punchers.. I agree that he won most of his fights in wide UD's, but hasn't Usyk kind of done the same?

I don't really put too much stake in versatility necessarily meaning you are a better fighter, just because you can fight at various ranges doesn't mean you are more effective than another fighter who's REALLY good at even one range.

It's hard to compare as it always is with p4p and I might be in the minority here, but when I see Ward at 168 and Usyk at 200, I don't see a clearly better fighter.. I think Usyk is just as good a CW as Ward was a SMW.

 

If AJ thought he would lose to Usyk, he would vacate the WBO belt and go after Wilder/Fury title or non-title fight.
He easily agreed to fight Usyk because he knows that he can beat Usyk easily after what he saw in Chisora match.

He will probably unload everything on Usyk before round 4 (before Usyk warms up) and knock him out. We all saw that Chisora punished Usyk in round 1, and Usyk couldn't respond. Imagine that Usyk against a monster like AJ.

So, AJ will not fight Usyk outside, unlike he did in Ruiz 2. Because Usyk can't hit hard as Ruiz, so there is nothing to be scared of. AJ will just pressure him at some point before round 4 and it will be bye-bye for Usyk.