As the fight approaches, let us again discuss why I narrowly think Usyk beats Joshua

Same.

I think AJ wins this, at very least on paper (champions and especially cashcows always get the benefit of the doubt on close rounds) and possibly by KO.

I'd be surprised if Usyk gets the KO, but not that surprised if he manages to pitch a humiliating 10-2 on my cards (much closer on official ones).

 

Fury respects Usyk more than AJ

Even if AJ beats Usyk.

Usyk is mentally & skillset wise much more complete.

AJ lives off his physicality, something that is totally irrelevant to Fury.

 

I felt that way from even before

When lennox senses danger he raises his game to a really high level

One of the greatest ever heavyweights and head to head, perhaps the best

It's good to see he is really getting the recognition he deserves the longer he is retired

 

Yeah, Usyk looked weak against Chisora. However, it would be difficult for AJ to pressure Usyk since he runs out of gas quickly.
If he gets exhausted vs Usyk he can get KOed

 

Yeah no kidding

 

How do you know he isn’t worried about the quality of the opponent?

 

Lewis is without a doubt one of the best heavyweights h2h, but I don't understand this point. Golota was a notoriously inconsistent guy himself, and was definitely dealing with some demons that night. Not saying that he would have won, but he was definitely capable of producing a better effort against Lewis than that. What about that fight made you feel that?

 

Picking Joshua, simply by the fact that he's proven at top level HW.

Usyk, he's an unknown quantity, he might be able to outbox Joshua or he could fold in 2 rounds.. Who knows. But yeah, respect to anyone who makes any hard line predictions about the outcome.

 

I reckon it could go something like the Parker fight though, a fairly uneventful win for Joshua but no "destruction".

 

Legitimately beat once?

He was sparked out twice....

 

AJ’s winning

 

Golota started out looking no different that night than he did against his other top opponents like Byrd, Grant, Bowe, Ruiz etc.

Lewis boxed and moved brilliantly and stunned Golota with a big right hand and we all know when Golota gets stunned he mentally falls apart, then Lewis proceeded to wash him. Golota was a world class fighter, just a nutcase. But i guess Golota could have done better.

 

Joshua wins 2-3 of the first 6. He will be tired the second half and Usyk with pepper AJ like like he was a filet mignon in a fancy restuarant. AJ will be ready to go by the 8th. Stoppage between 8 & 10.