Let AJ try to figure Usyk out. Usyk has the more complete style. Usyk should fight his fight. Bank a couple of the early rounds. AJ will most likely gas in the 2nd part of the fight. Once Usyk sees fatigue, kick it into a higher gear and start bringing the pain around the 8th. AJ will be ready to go shortly after that. Usyk can't get caught with stupid shots, and definately can't allow AJ to lean on him.
"The gassing of AJ " sounds uncannily similar to Loma's expectations vs Lopez, I believe Usyk shouldn't approach the fight passively at anypoint and give Femi something to think early in the fight.
Knock on the front, enter through the side. Avoid clinching him as AJ has an almost muscle memory trained pattern of trying to push his opponent away enough and starts wailing hooks towards the head. Usyk doesn't generally like to clinch but he should be especially aware of this by AJ. He can get away with tapping AJ if he is ensuring he is putting him under mental pressure and making him miss will drain the bigger man. His style is all wrong for AJ and I expect him to win this fight if he doesn't make any mistakes.
Yes, his best skill is undoubtedly his ability to wriggle out of a clinch and swing punches, happened to Pulev also.
Joshua really sucks balls on the inside, he's nowhere on the level of Klitschko when it comes to hugging and leaning to drain the smaller guy's stamina. I believe a good clinching game will be handy for Usyk in case he does get caught with a big shot.
I think he needs to keep composed, land shots and wait for moments where Joshua is open and taking a breather to unleash hard shots. He should try to use his movement and footwork to his advantage. He should try to land shots and move around the ring and make Joshua chase him and catch him on the counter. I think that's where Usyk will have the best success with Joshua is timing him and catching him with a counter punch or two. He should let Joshua chase him around whilst boxing and moving. I can picture Usyk going out for the kill with clean shots if he sees Joshua tired and hurt. I don't think he'll pause and stop himself from taking a chance to KO him. I think Usyk is training for a knockout and it wouldn't surprise me if he gets it. The only question mark is if Usyk gets hurt and goes down can he recover?
Put on a few pounds come out round 1 and go after AJ and try to chin him and keep doing it. Even if he doesnt ko AJ its only a matter of time before AJ gasses out.
Usyk shouldn't even care about winning rounds, the sole objective should be to stop AJ. Anyone who thinks Usyk can win a decision here (at least without several knockdowns) doesn't know the first thing about boxing corruption.
Stamina stamina. Bring Joshua into the later rounds and he will gas a bit. Usyk will have ro pile it on in the championship rounds.
He definitely cannot afford to do the normal pitter patter routine and feel AJ out for the first 4 rounds. If he does that with the British judges he is already ****ed as no way are they judging the majority of close rounds in his favour. So he needs to be active from the 1st second of the 1st bell and outwork AJ, pressurise him. The pressure should lead to AJ gassing and allow him to go for a stoppage. I dont fancy the chances of him getting 2 out of the 3 judges to give him the W, even if he wins 8 out of the 12 rounds.
He needs to put the mental and physical pressure on immediately, and not let up. He can't allow Joshua to find a rhythm or confidence. Keep moving, find angles, sneaky combos, triple the jab, FEINT A LOT, use his lead foot to constantly annoy AJ. I think, with the judges and all, he needs to commit at least to the idea of stopping AJ. In doing so the rounds, and potentially the knockdowns, will come. He needs to win big, and to do that he doesn't have time to give away the first few rounds.
