What do we think guys? Is it just me or does it seem like AJ and Eddie are being made to look like a bit foolish here by the both the Fury and Wilder camps? It just seems to me everyone is laying into AJ for not taking the fight from the two fighters themselves, their teams and the TV execs from both sides. I know he holds the majority of the belts and he's the guy in charge but just watching the press conferences this week of Fury v Wilder, it does seem like they're getting a lot of coverage and hype and they've done a good job in making AJ seem irrelevant. A lot of fans on both sides will be watching this just doubting AJs credibility a little. I'd say all that faffing around in announcing this fight officially has been worth it. Its getting some decent buzz around it.
No, AJ was everywhere when he stopped Povetkin and got a lot of credit. Hell Fury came across so bad after that fight he had to apologise. Just the nonsense spouted by the LDBC lot, they tend to shout loud. Fury and Wilder's team can't stop talking about AJ, they should just concentrate on their own promotion. If Wilder truly wants the AJ fight he should be pushing Shelly to do his job and start negotiating the best deal possible for his client. Everything else is just noise.
No, Wilder, Fury, Finkel and FW are making AJ and Hearn look absolutely incredible. The press conferences have been nothing short of embarrassing, they look out dated and amateur, the fight isn't creating a buzz, this fight isn't selling itself. It's looking like this will be a struggle to generate big interest. Not many people are really listening to Wilder and Fury apart from their own fans and they don't have big fanbases so what they are saying isn't a big deal really. As for them both slaughtering AJ, that alone tells you how big AJ is, they have their own fight, they keep saying it's HUGE yet feel the need at every opportunity to mention Joshua's name. If they were genuinely that big and the fight was that big, AJ would be ignored, he wouldn't get a mention. Another reason is because the winner will still be regarded as second best by the majority of boxing fans (hardcore and casual) and that's going to be a bitter pill to swallow. So no, AJ isn't losing anything in terms of credibility, the only people who can lose credibility here are Wilder, Fury, Finkel and FW is this fight is terrible and does poor numbers.
Making AJ seem irrelevant? His name was mentioned at least once in every sentence! No matter who wins the casuals (and myself) will still hold AJ king however that’s when his credibility will take a knock. He needs to face the winner and not Whyte.
Unless Fury has majorly improved come fight night against wilder he’s getting completely blasted out in a couple of rounds and he’ll be the one looking stupid. AJ and Hearn aren’t stupid, they are letting the fight with Wilder simmer for awhile meanwhile ticking over with fighting the likes of whyte and pulev
If anything this pantomime of Fury Wilder is giving AJ more credibility. In every other sentence he is getting a mention and IF the winner agrees to fight AJ then the fight in April becomes even bigger. Also the interview done by IFL with Wilder just have me more proof that it's Wilders team who are putting all the blockers of a fight with AJ and not the other away around. Every time Koogan asked him a direct question about why he hadn't signed the contract then Wilder just answered very vaguely by saying AJ doesn't want it.
Wilder and Finkel are making themselves look silly. - They turned down both contracts offers from Matchroom, -Never sent Matchroom a contract upon request after sending a email mentioning a 50m offer (which was a void offer that contains it being on BT). - Then they refused to negotiate with Matchroom regarding the fight and respond back to emails. - Then whilst AJ fights Povetkin, a fighter you could argue has the best record in the divison after AJ. Wilder decides to fight another out of shape inactive fighter whose only fights in 3 years have been Albanias number 2 crusierweight and HW ranked outside the top 50 who recently lost to Kevin Johnson.
I think people need to differentiate between the British market and the US. Over here whilst hardcore fans and some casuals are starting to ask some questions about why AJ-Wilder wasn’t on last time and when it is being scheduled (even Hearn admitted this in the recent guardian interview) AJ is largely unscathed by Wilder-Fury gettting it on. The situation in the US is clearly the reverse though. You’ve only got to see to reaction of the US media both traditional and internet, when AJ went over to promote DAZN/Povetkin fight. They basically ran him out of the venue with aggressive questioning about Wilder and why he didn’t take the 50m etc. AJ is now openly being called a coward and P all across ESPN etc - he must respond like a proper champion/man would. If he tries to laugh it all off and do the Coroporate response, the US fans will really start to savage him more. Even though the fight isn’t going to happen in April (Eddie needs AJ to fight on DAZN which obviously is a non starter for Team Wilder) AJ Must at least be at ringside for the fight to publically challenge the winner.
Fury has made it like the WWWF with clown behaviour and fake hostility.His press conferences are a lot more entertaining than his fights.
Why isn't Fury getting **** for ducking AJ ? He was offered a soup can Tony Bellew Dillian Whyte then AJ by Matchroom but turned it down , Eddie Hearn said this in an IFL interview I was skeptical then I heard it out of Fury's mouth in another IFl interview exactly the same names.
I have an alternative take. AJ is doing very well. He earned $47m last year. Most of this money from outside the US, primarily UK of course. There's little to no sign that his popularity in this market is being seriously damaged. If you follow boxing seriously your aware of Wilders padded record, Furys nandrolone issues so even those who dislike him and his promoter can give AJ some grudging respect. He gets criticised from Warren and his stable but Fury has little credibility outside the boxing world after his various tribulations and Warren is constantly salty about all things Hearn such that I doubt his regular jabs have too much impact. Now for AJ to make even more money and acclaim he must want to up his US earnings. So is he taking a hit in the US with adverse comments from US boxing establishment? Maybe. Is this a negative development? Maybe not... For him to make money from the US market it's not necessary to be liked there Mayweather's example suggests you may even earn more if people want to see you beat. The key is awareness and a simple narrative that can take hold and exert a powerful hold on consumers. 'AJ be duckin doe' may be that line. US casuals who don't realise what a manufactured and cosseted product Wilder actually is may start to buy into the idea of the 'shook' British boxer who is holding the belts hostage from the brave, risk taking US KO merchant who is packing awesome power but being avoide by the coward in London and his devious snake of a promoter? Maybe that's a narrative that could gain traction with casual US boxing fans and persuade them to pay PPV fee to watch their guy beat the dastardly Brit? If that sounds simplistic, just look on boxing fora and you will find fans enthusiastically parroting it or similar already. Details such as Wilders or Joshua's record don't matter, Amy more than they did in May/Pac, the story has a power of its own.
No, quite the opposite. Joshua conducts himself with class and dignity, unlike the two clowns desperately trying to sell their fight with cheap pantomime antics and fake brawls.
Joshua asked for $50m to fight Wilder. He was offered it and tweeted "Let's Roll." Hearn confirmed the offer was genuine and the money was there and it was up to Joshua whether to fight or not. Joshua chose not to. Of course his credibility has took a hit.