I thought Kuzmin was better. He's certainly more accomplished. I agree with the rest of your comments.
If any Brit is honest then it's very hard to disagree with any of this. I'm British and I believe this has nailed it, actually if I wrote that.. it would be far harsher.
Huge couple of years ahead for (insert country of choice) HW boxing Just for a bit of spin, any other "single" nation "overall" looking any better than the UK about now in HW boxing? in "current" top ten rankings? If it boils down to patriotic's, as a Brit I've got no complaints.
Hughie had just turned 23 when he lost 7-5 to Parker, had just turned 24 when he lost 9-3 to Pulev in Bulgaria, was about to turn 25 when he lost 8-4 to Povetkin and hasn't been KO'd or KD'd in 29 fights. This shows a pattern of a talented fighter who has been pushed too quickly, or at least too quickly to win at that level. At 27 he is 5 years younger than the youngest HW in the top 5 and possesses unparalleled HW pro experience for his age, with completely dominant wins over well-established gatekeepers in Wach and Hammer in his last two fights. Unlike Whyte, Ruiz, Parker, Hunter and Ortiz, he's still hungry and has a lot of room to improve further. Has Ruiz improved since his poor performance against an over the hill Kevin Johnson? His most recent performance against a 40 year old, 18 months inactive, coming off a loss Arreola suggests not all that much. Hughie has a good work ethic and discipline while 32 year old Andy is a lazy pig who regularly oscillates between morbidly obese and chronic heart attack risk obese: who is going to improve and who is likely to be on the decline? Yes Ruiz landed a killer temple shot on AJ that ultimately forced him to quit but Ruiz didn't stop most of his journeyman opponents in the run up to AJ, even the chinny ones frequently escaped. It's more an indictment of AJ's durability, powers of recovery, engine and heart than anything else and we saw Ruiz's idiocy and indiscipline on full display in the farcical rematch. The problem is that Ruiz's handlers won't go near Hughie or anyone with footspeed and ability in general and are instead looking at far more winnable options, such as Charles Martin, who I still expect will give Ruiz a tough fight.
Because he beat Anthony Joshua, took his 0, and it wasn't a lucky punch. AJ's complete style change and performance in the rematch is a testament to that. So if you think that's not evidence he improved since the KJ fight, then maybe it's you who's smoking something strong. And what? Did you happen to miss all of those weight loss, getting in shape videos of Andy's in the lead up to the Arreola match?
I like the idea of fights involving Joyce, AJ, Dubois and Tyson Fury. Those are 4 platinum level HWs all deserving of top 10 status. There are some huge fights- AJ- Fury AJ- Dubois Joyce-Fury Joyce-AJ Dubois- Fury Possible Joyce-Dubois rematch? Fabio Wardley is a manufactured HW with a fake record, who doesn’t make it. Hughie Fury lacks the athleticism and skill to be a top HW. Whyte is shot and going to become a journeyman.
Ruiz Jr has made too much money and isn’t motivated. The Arreola fight was an embarrassment as he came in better shape but was so drained his punch resistance was gone. Then his performance in the AJ rematch where he was so fat he couldn’t even throw a punch without the blabber getting in the way. Hughie Fury beats Ruiz Jr at this point. As you just need a modicum of movement and Ruiz Jr isn’t catching up with you.
If AJ enters a blind exchange and gets caught on the temple by a shot he doesn't see coming, there's a very good chance he'll be in serious trouble and won't be able to recover if steady pressure is applied. AJ's style change was a testament to wanting to avoid exchanges because he/his team were aware of his vulnerabilities and he had big advantages in footspeed, length and power that he wasn't properly utilising. Parker already showed everyone the safest way to beat the extremely stubby morbidly obese plodder years before. Ruiz wasn't a better fighter because he beat AJ, he just exposed AJ's vulnerabilities. He's a classic one hit wonder. Ruiz periodically balloons up in weight over 300 lbs, gets "in shape" before fights by losing 40-50 lbs, only to put it back on with interest later. The guy has a compulsive relationship with food that will accelerate his decline into obscurity. It's ironic though: had Ruiz not been morbidly obese, AJ may not have underestimated him or felt as much pressure in fighting him, knowing that losing to Ruiz would be the most humiliating defeat of all time. Fat also improves punch resistance more than muscle, possibly allowing him to survive the KD and giving him the confidence to push forward. It's been a blessing and a curse.
True, but that's not a bad number of good fighters to have from one country (that isn't America) in a single division, especially heavyweight.
What it has to do with it is that it seems you don't like the fact that the UK heavyweight scene is flourishing. I can't think of any other reason for you being so negative about every single British heavyweight. Whether it's because you're American or not I don't really care, your analysis is delusional for whatever reason it may be.
So much wrong with this post.... Where to start? Let's start at the bottom. He beat your boy Wilder, 3 times, pretty consistently I though.
I don't always agree with CT, but he's anything but jingoistic. So perhaps you need to entertain the thought that its not that he's somehow upset about the UK heavyweight scene, he's simply not as bullish as you are. And FYI: take a look around at some of your fellow Brit posters if you want to see blindly jingoistic bullsh*t.