Anthony Joshua Vs Martin Bakole

That would be to say Joshua is the equivalent of Charles Martin or someone like that, and he's further along than that. I will agree that the value Joshua has offered has been nowhere near what we have been sold by Eddie Hearn. Simultaneously, we had Frank Warren, for something like a couple of years, claiming that Tyson Fury was "the best of his generation" and this all went up in smoke when he was made to look fairly ordinary against Usyk, although Usyk hardly looked genial himself. It's not like he totally outclassed or dismissed Fury easily.

 

Im sorry as I have nothing against Fury but it is not one of the greatest comebacks of all time. That narrative is ludicrous.

I do give him plenty of credit for the Wilder wins (especially the second) and he competed with Usyk.

Also fought Chisora and Ngannou.

Doesnt make him a great in my opinion. Just one of the best HWs in a poor era

 

As for AJ, why are people arguing for him not being an all time great HW? No one is claiming he is an ATG. Who are these people arguing with? From what I can see, some posters are just saying AJ is above British title level, which is often attributed to him on this board. There are many levels between British level and ATG. Most people realise that AJ is somewhere in between.

The AJ bashing is bizarre. I see people on here hating on AJ because of the Hearn hype that the casuals bought into. What proper boxing fan takes seriously anything a promoter or part time fan of the sport who doesn't know better says? To under value a fighter because of a promoter's hype is strange behaviour. All promoters overhype their fighters. It's part of the game. As for the casuals buying into the hype; who gives a ****?

If you're spending your days watching videos of Eddie Hearn, or any other promoter, talk bollocks, it's no wonder you've gone crazy.

Odd behaviour.

 

But Fury got polaxed in round 9 of Usyk Fight 1.

And wast extremely lucky referee didn't stop that. Saved as per usual.

 

He got up and made it to the final bell though, unlike your man Whyte in the sixth round against Fury, plus he only lost a razor-thin decision.

At least the loss against Povetkin has been wiped from Dillian's record. I wonder if he will have the front to interview with Kugan, and say how hard done by he was.

 

Was the Rivas fight result removed from Rivas record?

 

I think if the truth was ever fully exposed, the likes of Peter Buckley would suddenly have more win's than losses on their records.

 

On the thread topic and I'm really not a fan of fighters looking beyond their next fight and always feel it's a bit of a risk. Had Dubois do it recently and now Bakole too.

Think Bakole most probably stops Joshua but I wouldn't entirely write Joshua off here either and there'd be some people desperately upset if he managed to get the upset.

 

Getting back to the real topic, Shalom has stated fighters have signed up for the fight but Hearn has denied it claiming Joshua has not opened talks with any opponent.

 

Tough one to call. Joshua is always going to struggle with punchers but Bakole hasn't really been tested by an elite fighter before so it's hard to know how he'd handle it.

 

I wouldn't even say it's better than Vitali's comeback after 4 years. He went on a ten fight ttitle defence run barely losing a round. Yes there was a few soft touches in there but he did it within 4 years so you're allowed a few. He was usually out 3 times a year the way it should be.

 

The best AJ batters Bakole, probably stops him. But I'm not sure where that guy is now, or if he's coming back. I expect AJ to box Bakoles ears off from behind a decent guard, use his jab, tire him and stop him after halfway, likely walk him onto an uppercut. Martin impressed me v Anderson but there are levels and there is a lot of revisionism going on about AJ, of whom I am no fan. Kids a good boxer, a big, big puncher, and he has big bollocks taking this fight. The fear factor wins him this fight. He prepared for a frightened overwhelmed Dubois and only realised he was facing a lion when it was too late...I don't see him making the same mistake

 

I can't help but feel you are contradicting yourself in this post. You say there are levels after Bakole beat Anderson but you do realise Joshua's perceived best level is against walkover opponents who would lose to the likes of Hughie Fury? Can you list in which fights Joshua has been at his best? Let's see who the opponents are.

Joshua hasn't boxed anyone's ears off in his career so I highly doubt he would box Bakole's ears off.

 

AJs losing effort to Usyk fight two, he'd have matched any other heavy on the planet that night. He got boring v Parker and Ruiz 2 and, yes, boxed their ears off. He got off the floor to beat an old Wlad who would still have beaten Bakole. Kids got a lot of critics, and I've been one, but he has boxed at a much higher level than Bakole and beaten many fighters I perceive as better than Bakole, or certainly when he beat them. It's only an opinion man, and I may be wrong...it happens with an alarming regularity. If AJ can't move and keep slomo Martin at the end of his jab and walk him onto some nasty uppercuts and hooks, he is shot at the level he has previously operated at. Bakole is fun, but flawed and limited. He may prove to be the read deal, maybe even v AJ. Can't wait to find out.

 

It comes down to how Joshua reacts once bakole lands something meaningful. Will he fold like he did when he tasted DDDs power? Probably.