Are we about to witness a heavyweight version of Lopez/Lomachenko ?

There is a good chance that could happen, I feel Usyk will win unless he becomes too negative like Loma was v Lopez in the first 6 rounds of that fight, this will be a cagey fight, maybe a stinker, but technical and interesting.

 

it will look more like frampton vs herring.

 

I think Usyk is close enough in size that he will be able to turn the gas up much earlier

 

Could do but Lopez has a good chin. Once AJ China is tapped he will go into Bruno 2.0 mode

 

The disparity between Usyk Joshua is greater than Loma Lopez

 

Proportionally greater?

 

Almost the same. Lomachenko was at a slightly greater disadvantage, assuming Lopez dehydrated to 150.

 

I don't know what the rehydrated weights were, but size is relative. 20lbs is worth less at heavyweight than 10lbs at lightweight. Teofimo's reach advantage, 3" assuming that translates into arm length, is worth more at that size.

 

OK then, if that's the case then you might have a point.

I still think Lopez > AJ though, in a p4p sense. HW is kinda dire.

 

We’re about to witness Usyk get demolished.

 

Sure, but Loma > Usyk. Maybe we get to see a poundshop version of Loma Lopez.

 

I doubt it.

Lomachenko underperformed because he was injured and fought anyway. Call it an excuse but it's also a fact, and we've seen how he performs when he's healthy. Even still, he won nearly half the rounds, you can even count half for him without much generosity. Wouldn't exactly be a convincing win if AJ pulled a repeat.

Lopez also brought a great game plan which isn't exactly Joshua's style. Bear in mind this is the same Joshua who was nagging Rob McCracken every round for the Ruiz fight, even round 1, 'what do you think I should do now?' and later 'what is he going to come out and do?' and the classic 'why am I feeling like this?'. Josh is the body, Rob is the eyes and brain. If he has any gameplan it's only what Rob tells him to do every round and hopes he can actually pull off.

 

I can see why you'd think it would be similar to Loma/Lopez. The size disparity, Usyk being trained by Loma's father and Joshua using his jab a lot more consistently in recent fights. Maybe he will try and copy the Lopez game plan, use his jab to take away Usyk's jab and counter with the right hand.

But Loma had a tell that Usyk doesn't that made it easy for Lopez to predict his attacks and take away his jab. Loma loves to step to the outside to jab over his opponents lead hand and Lopez used that step to the outside as a way to predict the jab was coming and would either move away or counter with the right.

Joshua won't find it as easy to predict and take away the Usyk jab and even if he does, Usyk isn't as reliant on his jab as Loma and will likely use the straight left as a counter to the Joshua jab.