My initial pick was Joshua late KO which still could be the outcome but I'm having doubts. I think Usyk's speed and movement will give Joshua fits. While Joshua has recently used his jab more and moved more I don't think he can out box Usyk from a distance with just his jab. He needs to use his lead hand to control Usyk not just by jabbing but by posting with it and basically using his left hand to control Usyk's head, framing, pushing, pulling his head to maintain distance. If he can't do that I feel Usyk will find ways to get in, fire off first then move away. I see two possible outcomes. Usyk out boxes him and makes it too the final bell to either win or be robbed or Usyk out boxes him and Joshua comes from behind to stop Usyk dramatically. Either way the rematch will be even bigger I suspect.
Yep, I agree with that analysis. I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up being a great fight that goes on to become a trilogy.
This is what will probably happen. Usyk will win 7-8 rounds. AJ will get the decision then we will get the usual nonces who come on here saying " you can't call a fight a robbery in a close fight" despite there not being a case for AJ winning 6 rounds +.. It happens all the time, close fights with a clear winner go to the opposite fighter who happens to be the cash cow... then the dumbasses will come out trying to justify it Close but clear win for Usyk, or AJ TKOs Usyk
I find it quite interesting that many of you people think that AJ couldn't win a decision against Usyk legitimately. Are you that confident that Usyk will avoid a knockdown throughout the fight? Are you not concerned about AJ's reach advantage, and there being quite clear reason to believe that Usyk at 34 years old with extra weight may not be as effective at evading shots as he once was? People seem to have a strong believe in their heads that Usyk is by far the superior boxer, and that his talents will overcome any advantage AJ has. I think AJ could win enough rounds legitimately, especially seeing as Usyk starts slow and doesn't often do much for the first 2 rounds or so.
I'm really not sure...there's so many variables in this one. Leaning towards Joshua though.....more proven at Hvy, should be back to his A-game (i.e. recovered psychologically from the Ruiz debacle), also like him coming in lighter last time, he's had plenty off time to prep for s/paws and against Usky's moves specifically, the fights at home for him, there's that weird champion's convention which may be a factor in the scoring if its close....whether it factors or not Joshua also has an advantage in physical tools / power too.... I like this match....very interesting. Tentatively have Joshua on points...close-ish.
Re watched Usyk vs Bellew and based on the fact Bellew landed on Usyk with ease tbh in the early rounds and the Chisora fight … If Usyk fights like that he ll get destroyed and early .
I think AJ stops him mid to late rounds and there are 2 reasons for that: Usyk is slowing down. 1) He is older and 2) he has bulked up. We won't quite see the slick mover we did at CW, or at least, we won't see as much of it as we did before. He won't quite be the metronome he was at CW. Usyk does get hit. He has shown a solid chin thus far but Joshua will probably hit him as hard as he's ever been hit. If Usyk isn't able to stop Joshua hitting him on a regular basis the accumulation alone will spell his downfall. Joshua perhaps doesn't have that lightning bolt KO power but he hits very hard with both hands and has a nice variety of punches. Only Ruiz has stood up thus far and I reckon AJ might have stopped Ruiz had he not been so reckless in the first fight. I could be wrong, but it's what I think.
I can see Joshua rallying late and stopping Usyk on his feet after being outboxed in the middle rounds of the fight. I can't fully get behind Joshua to ultimately knockout Usyk indefinitely knowing Joshua's vulnerabilities. Joshua on paper isn't actually the better boxer which makes this matchup very intriguing. I think Joshua actually might play into Usyk's hands if he tries to outbox him. Joshua should use his strength, lean on him and pressurise Usyk on the ropes. Chisora did a lot of things well but was never refined enough with his output to truly test Usyk. Chisora's stamina wasn't great and he's quite wild with his offense. In the two or three rounds Usyk lost to Chisora he looked quite shocked and vulnerable. He adapted quickly in the end and his stamina and boxing skill proved too much for Dereck. If Joshua can do what Dereck did more consistently and land cleaner punches he should get the stoppage.
Usyk did knew that he never ever will get decision win vs Bellew in UK and never will get vs AJ cash cow too. All these biased comments and fans, pro boxing is to serve casual fans. No one needs in this business top boxers with not proper origin or passports, this is what this is here. Cocky comments in this fight and after this had showed who had been intended as a winner of this fight. LOL, some nobody had beat local star. Damn, it was a fluke. LOL, how cool A.J had looked vs Ruiz Jr when he had been tested in US.
For me the reason why I think Usyk will out box Joshua is two fold. Firstly how easily Savon out boxed him at the Olympics, I think he beat Dychko and Cammarelle but Savon I had winning my some margin. Ever since then I've firmly believed movement gives Joshua problems. Secondly how Usyk dealt with Joyce's jab and size. While Joyce is slower, he has the superior jab and movement for me and Usyk came out on top. Maybe I'm wrong and Joshua has improved enough with his jab in recent fights so he can simply use the jab to head and body to prevent Usyk's superior footwork from controlling long period of the fight. Also Joshua isn't the finished article yet, he may very well show the improvements with the lead hand I spoke of in my previous post and totally shut down Usyk by controlling range. But based on what I've seen from both at this moment in time, I think Usyk can and will out box him once he's figured out his timing and distance.
I find it quite interesting that I never said that.. Where did I say AJ couldn't legitimately win a decision against Usyk? I said its likely the other way round... AJ could very well win a decision on those factors you mentioned. And I wouldn't be surprised. At the Olympics people claim AJ robbed Savon which I had Savon winning narrowly. In the first two rounds AJ gave a good account of himself and landed some big clean shots. Round 3 is where AJ lost his composure and got tagged with straights... My point is AJ did respectable against a skillful veteran Cuban and therefore I do not put it past AJ to do well against a highly skilled Usyk
Still he " get " gold " medal ". Boxing is business. Maybe, A.J is good but when I had saw him vs 39 y.o Pulev who did almost nothing vs A.J: A.J first gassing episode had started after 3 rounds! Yeah, vs old Pulev he might had " re gassed " 2 times heavily during 9? rounds, Usyk isn't 39 y.o Pulev or 38 y.o Povetkin or 41 y.o lazy ring rusty rich Wlad out of " retirement ". When Usyk had fought vs Whiterspoon, I had assumed that Usyk should retire ASAP, despite he had won this one. Chisora fight he was better than I had assumed: I had gave only 3 rounds for Chisora and 1 round maybe even round. Unltil Chisora started to gass out. Vs Parker he started to gass out only after 9 rounds. I before these both fights had assumed that Parker being with low mileage under belt, still enough experienced and larger than Usyk, younger: will perform vs Chisora better than Usyk. Nope, I was wrong. So I assume that Usyk at least will gave AJ more problems than Parker did and ofc on cards 95% A.J will win regardless how will look this fight.
I am confident AJ wins this, but Usyk is 4/1 to win on points. Might stick a bit of money on that, but then again he could get robbed.
