Explain to me how Joshua's effort in Usyk II was amazing

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by Slyk, Dec 22, 2025.


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  1. Slyk

    Slyk Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I've seen a few folks over the years gush about the incredible performance Joshua gave in the second Usyk fight. Did we watch the same fight? It looked to me like Usyk continued to dominate in the center of the ring, impose his will, hurt Joshua, and comfortably outbox the lesser boxer. It kind of reminded me of, and this may shock some of the Joshua fans...Usyk-Joshua I.

    Please explain to me how this is a great performance. Some folks say this was "peak" Joshua, and that he would have beaten any man other than Usyk that night. What does it say if your best performance was a 10-2 loss where you could neither get the smaller, better man on the ropes for more than 30 seconds the whole fight, nor outbox him in the center of the ring?

    I've always been perplexed at fans latching on to this particular fight as an example of "peak" Joshua. It's a wide points loss where he couldn't do what he wanted to do because he wasn't allowed. Surely there's a better example?

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    Slyk, Dec 22, 2025
    Slyk, Dec 22, 2025
    #1
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  2. CST80

    CST80 The Hesitant Nihilist Staff Member

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    AJ's connect percentage was 19% in the first fight, and 25% in the rematch. Which is a marked improvement. It also helped that he wasn't badly rocked, whereas the first fight he was stunned countless times and almost KO'd in the 12th. Aside from Briedis, it's probably the best anyone has looked against Usyk. With AJ managing to outland him in three rounds and stay close in a few others. No one is saying he deserved to win or was amazing, but there's 80/20 dominant losses and 65-35 competitive losses. It was more the latter.
     
    CST80, Dec 22, 2025
    CST80, Dec 22, 2025
    #2
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  3. KO_King

    KO_King Horizontal Heavyweight Full Member

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    I thought he did better in the rematch though still lost cleary. It's true that you can still have a losing performance that can be commemded - especially against a true ATG. Though most, if not all fighters would prefer the win.
     
    KO_King, Dec 23, 2025
    KO_King, Dec 23, 2025
    #3
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  4. like a boss

    like a boss have gloves will travel Full Member

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    Amazing?

    It wasn't.
     
    like a boss, Dec 23, 2025
    like a boss, Dec 23, 2025
    #4
  5. CroBox29

    CroBox29 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    He was as good as he could be, the problem is that Usyk was too good...
     
    CroBox29, Dec 23, 2025
    CroBox29, Dec 23, 2025
    #5
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  6. chaunceygardina

    chaunceygardina Member Full Member

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    Exactly this. We saw his peak in a loss against an ATG. Any previous iteration of AJ was not ‘peak’ was it? It was raw and unafraid. II saw a more balanced and concentrated effort. This is probably what led to that outburst after. He had put so much into it, and still nothing!
     
    chaunceygardina, Dec 23, 2025
    chaunceygardina, Dec 23, 2025
    #6
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  7. theanatolian

    theanatolian Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Not amazing as he was soundly beaten again, but doing better in a rematch against a master technician like Usyk is no easy feat, ask Fury and Dubois.
     
    theanatolian, Dec 23, 2025
    theanatolian, Dec 23, 2025
    #7
  8. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    Usyk is a genius with a meaningful stylistic advantage and AJ kept it close on the cards.
     
    McGrain, Dec 23, 2025
    McGrain, Dec 23, 2025
    #8
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  9. mrbigshot

    mrbigshot Well-Known Member banned Full Member

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    Imho aj1 and aj2 were usyk,s best achievements in his hw career. Usyk faked a lowblow at aj1 , but beyond that it was a great performance .
     
    mrbigshot, Dec 23, 2025
    mrbigshot, Dec 23, 2025
    #9
  10. Wizbit1013

    Wizbit1013 Drama go, and don't come back Full Member

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    Can't say I've ever seen anyone call the effort amazing

    Improved most definitely
     
    Wizbit1013, Dec 23, 2025
    Wizbit1013, Dec 23, 2025
    #10
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  11. Badbot

    Badbot You can just do things.

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    I did, but in the context of it was amazing for a Joshua performance, I made no comparisons to anyone else. Tactically he improved tremendously and came in with a smart gameplan.

    That was Joshua at his absolute peak, he has never boxed a better fight in regards to technique and tactics - I will 100% die on this hill.
     
    Badbot, Dec 23, 2025
    Badbot, Dec 23, 2025
    #11
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  12. Flo_Raiden

    Flo_Raiden Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    AJ improved his game plan from the first fight and managed to hurt Usyk a few times. Even though he still fell short he won more rounds and was competitive throughout. Just so happens that Usyk always finds a way to win even when he's in a closely fought match.
     
    Flo_Raiden, Dec 23, 2025
    Flo_Raiden, Dec 23, 2025
    #12
  13. Slyk

    Slyk Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Joshua was rocked in the 10th, would've been very bad had it happened earlier in the fight.

    The performance in Usyk II was not better than the Fury fights (Usyk himself is very clear on this). Fury gave Usyk the toughest spell of his pro career in their first fight. You could even argue Chisora won more sloppy rounds than Joshua.

    People are indeed saying that Joshua's losing effort in Usyk II was amazing. It's fine to say he's slightly improved from the first fight, but to view a losing effort as some h2h beast "peak" version of a fighter is absurd. It's not like this is Vitali's loss against Lewis.
     
    Slyk, Dec 23, 2025
    Slyk, Dec 23, 2025
    #13
  14. MaccaveliMacc

    MaccaveliMacc Boxing Addict Full Member

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    It wasn't amazing, but it was very good. Better than Fury did in a rematch, maybe even better than Fury in the first fight, since he wasn't bounced around like a pin ball. He actually outlanded Usyk in the first 9 rounds. But it doesn't matter anyway. Usyk let him gas out and whooped him good in the 10th, 11th and 12th.
     
    MaccaveliMacc, Dec 23, 2025
    MaccaveliMacc, Dec 23, 2025
    #14
  15. MaccaveliMacc

    MaccaveliMacc Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Yeah, he wasn't beaten to a pulp and stopped.
     
    MaccaveliMacc, Dec 23, 2025
    MaccaveliMacc, Dec 23, 2025
    #15
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