The unstoppable force meets the unmovable object. Pressuring the bodybuilder is suicide, Brezeale, Whyte, Klitschko, Povetkin found out the hard way. Then there's Tua who can virtually absorb everything that throws at him. Pickem fight because there's such close margins. I tend to think Joshua's enormous power and reach would be the deciding factor. Unpopular opinion or not, I'm yet to see someone who can consistently take mr Olympia's power and keep coming forward.
I Give him a shot, but he probably gets outboxed and loses a clear UD. Although I don't think it's a forgone conclusion.
Prime Tua beats everyone. Not many realise we never saw prime Tua, that's because he was taken by aliens and forced to fight as earth's champion. Only after he defeated the fearsome Gargranthor was he returned to Earth hence the disappointing performance against Lewis who he would have beaten if not for aliens. But he did save the earth. Yours from the david Tua fanclub here in sunny Fantasyland.
Joshua would box and put on a performance similar to the one vs Parker and win a UD. Joshua isn't as good as Lewis but he doesn't need to be to out box Tua. Povetkin is better than Tua ever was, maybe not as hard a puncher but he disguised is shots far better, used more feints and applied pressure better.
Prime Tua was fast as ****. He was even actually thin. LoL but yeah he isnt some mythical world beater. AJ just isnt that good imo. Compared to Lewis I mean.
I take your point re Tua but I don't think we know yet just how good AJ is. I can see him improving fight by fight, I don't think he's peaked yet. Maybe physically he's in his prime now, but if he continues to improve his technique and ring iq and he continues to deal with everyone in the division then I think he will wind up being rated much higher than most have him at present.
Even if AJ isn't that good he is way better, bigger and stronger) than Oleg Maskaev and Davi Izon who were outboxing prime Tua (not the extremely fat Lewis' figt version) or Jeff Wooden who went the distance against prime Tua and lost by the closest margin.
I need to see more AJ fights. He looked easy to hit with the left hooks by Povetkin. I know Tua isnt as good a boxer as Povetkin though. The Tua in the Ike fight was ****ing scary though and I think beats AJ.
Everything that Tua struggled with, Joshua does well. I don't think AJ would have much trouble here, frankly.
Agreed like Lewis and Wlad he probably won't peak until his 30's, especially as he started so late. When you consider Lewis and Wlad at the same age were losing to McCall and Brewster I'd say Joshua is probably ahead of them in terms of technique/skill/ring IQ at the same stage but I think Lewis and Wlad are more naturally gifted athletes.