Prime Louis Vs Prime Usky

I agree, in that there seems to have been a shift in Joshua's mindset.

I watched the Joshua/Klitschko bout again, last night, and saw a different fighter to that I have seen of late.

Joshua was still raw then, but he oozed a certain confidence. Perhaps because his mission was uncomplicated and he was free to invent the means to achieve it - however unwise and risky that might have appeared to the observer.

I think the Ruiz Jr defeat changed everything. What came to him naturally was replaced with narrowly focused tactics, which he clung to like glue. Indeed, he has shown all the signs of someone, who learns by rote, looking uncomfortable in resistance to his own instincts.

The body attack on Usyk, to my recollection, became a clear tactic relatively early on. Indeed, I have no reservations in suggesting this single tactic was painfully measured in its execution and didn’t look to have adequately considered defense.

Joshua cautiously stalking and, in the main, pot-shotting his way to a loss looked rather one dimensional to me and not the kind of strategy one takes into the ring against a class operator like Usyk. This was just target practice for the Ukrainian - and, somewhat of an easier challenge than a prime Joe Louis, I strongly suspect.

 

I agree. His body work was also scarce and inconsistent.

All these "Joshua did the best he could" comments are laughable. Joshua could've easily done better. Hell he has done better.

 

Joe Louis was a boxer puncher, as Anthony Joshua is. Joshua was at least competitive with Oleksandr Usyk. I have to give him that much. So the question I can ask myself is "Self: Is Anthony Joshua as good as Joe Louis was?" The answer I give myself is: "No. And I don't think it's close." So I have my answer and can bet accordingly. (IMHO, of course.)

 

the bum of the month club gains a member

 

Boxing hasn't evolved since at least the 80's

Many boxing techniques have also been lost today because there are no longer any
trainers who can teach various styles.

Why the record, world champion at the age of 20, hasn't been broken these days?

Where are all the talents capable of breaking Mike Tyson's record ?
Maybe Jared Anderson? The biggest Heavyweigt Talent today , almost 23 years old.

Joe Louis , Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson at the same age would all destroy Anderson in one or two Rounds.

Hell no , Boxing hasnt evolved.

 

You're bringing up the 80's, the post was about the Louis era which was the 30's and 40's. How many 6'6 plus heavyweights that are as athletic as Fury, Joshua, the Klitschko's, Lewis, etc were there in that era? Name one and please don't bring up Primo or Jess ****ing Willard.

Regarding the 80's, I grew up boxing in the 80's and the way I trained back then was completely different from the guys I work with today from a conditioning standpoint. Today's fighters are way more educated than we were when it comes to diet and nutrition. I was told to never to lift weights when I was a kid because it would slow handspeed. That was a total myth and now most fighters have at least some type of weight training in their regimen.

Again, boxing has evolved but not always for the best. In the US, our national amateur boxing program is an absolute joke compared to what it was in 60's, 70's and 80's when boxing was popular and more importantly, there were gyms and boxing programs available to inner city kids like me. Nowadays all of the gyms are private and not affordable for all and no where near as popular as MMA gyms. Country's like Ukrane are turning out incredible fighters because of the programs they have in place. Just look at how many champions have come from eastern Europe over the last 20 years. The heavyweight division was dominated by Americans for so long but that really started to change in the 2000's. We haven't had a truly great American heavyweight since Holyfield who by the way was developed by the US national program.

One last thing, regarding Tyson setting the record for youngest heavyweight champ at 20, I'm not sure when that record will ever fall again. Before Tyson it was Patterson that had the record which was set in the early 60's.

 

You are citing fighters spread out over about 30 years, as if they all shared an era together.

 

Whilst i agree with you that Joshua isn't as good as Louis, and certainly isn't as strong as Louis mentally. Joshua is alot bigger than Louis and has certain attributes, that make him a bit more troublesome being 6'5 with 82 inch reach, compared to Louis at 6'1 with 76 inch reach.

Another factor is history has shown Louis has had trouble with movers Louis himself is a bit static. And also correct me if i'm wrong but didn't Louis look bad vs a Southpaw in sparring ? then claimed he would never fight a Southpaw ? So with Louis being untested vs a Southpaws, and also having a history of struggling against movers. Logic tells you that Usyk would be problematic.

Louis is obviously greater than Usyk at Heavyweight, but doesn't mean stylistic wise Usyk wouldn't have a chance. But Louis does carry dynamite in both fists, and is a very good finisher one of the best in the business, so it would be a dangerous fight for Usyk at all times. But style wise as i said Usyk would be very problematic for Louis.

 

How ironic. That's what all of you guys keep doing over and over again. Thread after ****ing thread about how they don't make them like they use to and blah blah blah. I have always viewed the classic thread as a place to discuss how great the past champions were in their era but for the most part it stops there. All this head to head nonsense pitting fighters from 80 years ago to now is just stupid ASF.

 

I'm not sure who "you guys" refers to other than the strawman in your own head.

If you are going to reply to me, actually reply to me, not your fictional characters.

 

I think I confused you with another poster so I apologize. I'm just going to bow out of this thread. I'm tired about arguing about old fighters vs new and would rather talk about modern matchups.

 

Usyk would do quite well in the early to mid rounds, but the combinations would start getting to him. In the last rounds the ref would have to stop it, with Usyk's face swelled to monolithic proportions, taking way too many blitzkrieg shots.

 

Facts looks stiff to me and outdated

 

No.

 

When has he done better against someone as good as Usyk?