Makhmudov will knock out Joshua.

Vianello wouldn't be a bad fight for AJ, better than Makh for sure. He is a solid level gatekeeper that offers a good measure to any fighter.

I'd love to see Itauma against Vianello.

 

Make just went life and death with Dave Allen. Respect to Dave, but there are levels to boxing.
Twitchy Neck throws punches so slow you can sing the Russian national anthem between them.

 

Makhmudov was being hurt by Dave Allen and was fighting afraid of him for half the fight. Against a dude his own size, who can hit like he can, who has the fitness to keep up an assault?

AJ is going to splatter Makhmudov.

 

Joshua doesn't have the chin or strength of Allen though. Joshua is more athletic and replies on speed, combinations and power.

He isn't a rough and tough in-your-face fighter.

There is a case to be made for Mak here.

It's all about momentum and Joshua doesn't have any currently.

 

You know, we agree on a lot of things. But I just don't get it when people say AJ has no heart oR he quits. Didn't he finish on his feet against Ruiz? How many times did he get up against Dubois?

Guy has brass balls. It's just that he has the worst instincts I have ever seen for what to do when hit. And maybe there is an element of panic in that, but it sure ain't panic about getting hit or hurt. In my book, it's fear of losing.

 

Exactly, if the Allen fight showed anything it's what any observer not caught up in the Makh hype already knew - he's nothing special at all.

You'd have to be in very deep on the anti Joshua narratives AND hard on the Makh hype to think Makh has a chance even with shot Joshua... And we've not seen evidence, yet, that AJ is ripe for journeymen to beat.

 

I agree AJ should win. But on the flip side he definitely would have been able to tank some of the shots that Allen did. If Makh goes for broke in the early going he has a decent punchers chance.

 

He hasn't ducked the people he has fought ?

(Including 2 ATGs in Wlad and Usyk)

 

Francis should be fighting Mak, not Joshua.

 

Not exactly like Mak and Dubois are twinsies though. Mak's punches and feet are stuck in molasses.

 

Makhmudov would very likely be KOed by Joshua, although he would have a slim punchers' chance in an early round.

I believe Vianello would be a more difficult fight for AJ - Vianello would have a real chance of winning.

 

Understandably so - two contenders, one with more question marks than the other (at the time), that was by far the more reasonable prediction - regardless of the fight going the other way.

But an underdog contender beating another contender is one thing... Backing an underdog journeyman to beat a contender is quite different.


There's levels to this, you'd have to think Joshua had declined bigtime since Dubois to pick a journeyman hypejob to beat him.

 

What do people think about AJ vs Kabayel? Would that be a solid fight? Both can go the distance. AJ has power, whereas Kabayel brings relentless pressure.

 

Kabayel is the dark horse of the division