AJ: "Wladmir was my Toughest Opponent"

African Cobra · May 21, 2022

RJJFan said: ↑

From the scene.

Anthony Joshua Tabs Wladimir Klitschko as Toughest Opponent To Date

BY ******* STAFF
Published Fri May 20, 2022, 04:09 PM EDT
45 comments
Former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua recently reflected on his career and tabbed a Ukrainian boxer as being his toughest opponent to date.

But it wasn't Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua said Usyk's countryman, Wladimir Klitschko, was his toughest foe in the ring.

Back in 2017, Joshua secured his career defining win with an eleventh round stoppage of Klitschko. It was a unexpected war where both boxers were on the floor. The end came when Joshua scored two knockdowns to stop Klitschko in round eleven. A massive crowd of 90,000 packed Wembley Stadium in London to watch the action unfold.

It was the final fight for Klitschko, who retired from boxing later that year.

Last September, Joshua was outboxed over twelve rounds by Usyk, who walked away with the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO heavyweight belts.

"The hardest opponent I have come up against would be Wladimir Klitschko definitely," Joshua said during a Q&A with Oxford Union. "The passing of the guard. The young lion vs the old lion. At the time I fought him I thought it was definitely too early but it was his last fight.

"So if I didn't fight him then it would have been too late, so it was risk vs reward and I thought boxing needed it. Sometimes due to a lack of experience we make it harder than it sometimes need to be. He had definitely more knockouts on his record than I have fights and knockouts combined. He is experienced and very strong and it was a tough fight. Before that stage I was knocking guys out within six rounds and seven rounds. Wladimir took me eleven rounds somewhere I had never been before but he was my toughest for sure."

A rematch with Uysk is targeted for July 23rd in the Middle East. Joshua was stopped by Andy Ruiz in 2019, but bounced back with a wide decision in their rematch six months later.
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Sounds about right.

chacal · May 21, 2022

wladimir feasts on smaller fighters. Wladimir would eat usyk alive for breakfast, pretty much as he ate povetkin. In a horrible unwatchable hugfest, but with undeniable victory for Wlad.

Could Wlad do it being 40 yo? well, I dont know. That's a good question. But prime Wlad would do it without any problem, I'm sure. No matter what they tell you, guys, size matters.

Puroresu_Fan · May 21, 2022

I would assume lennox for example would say Mercer was his toughest fight.

I don't think an opponent one has lost against necessarily makes that fighter the toughest opponent.

A fighter could win a fight, which was grueling, punishing and doing far more damage to them than an opponent who beats them in a different kind of fight.

swagdelfadeel · May 21, 2022

Renaldo's Last Stand said: ↑

It's human nature ....most fighters don't give the highest credit to guys that actually beat them.
Mike Tyson always regarded Razor Ruddock as the hardest puncher he faced....a guy he TKOd and decisioned....not Buster, not Holyfield, not Lewis....Razor Ruddock .

There is a subconscious need to only admit someone was your toughest challenge if they were someone you overcame...

I don't know who klotscko considers his best opponent, but I doubt it's AJ or Fury or Sanders...
My guess is he would say Lamont Brewster or Jameel mccline, someone he actually defeated.

Zab Judah says Mickey Ward was his toughest fight. Not Cotto, not Mayweather...

You get my point
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Douglas and Holyfield had nowhere near Ruddock’s power.

The Townsend · May 21, 2022

Gosh. Good job It wasn't a prime Vlad then.

exocet76 · May 21, 2022

It's Ovah said: ↑

Well along a similar line of logic you might consider that Joshua was badly knocked down by Wlad and almost on his way out before he clawed his way back to a win, so I can perfectly see why he might consider him a tougher overall fight (mentally and physically) than Usyk. As for Ruiz, I believe Joshua simply had an off night, which is why he was so eager to get back in the ring for the rematch.

Maybe he just doesn't want to give Usyk any credit, but there's a possibility he's also telling the truth from his POV.
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This was my point and what I think he meant. Joshua was more reticent in the Usyk fight and was ouskilled but he wasn't getting off the deck to dig deep. He just didn't really engage whether he thought he would get clipped or was just gun shy.
He was game when he fought Vlad and the fight had an ebb and flow and it was far more competitive.

tee_birch · May 21, 2022

RJJFan said: ↑

From the scene.

Anthony Joshua Tabs Wladimir Klitschko as Toughest Opponent To Date

BY ******* STAFF
Published Fri May 20, 2022, 04:09 PM EDT
45 comments
Former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua recently reflected on his career and tabbed a Ukrainian boxer as being his toughest opponent to date.

But it wasn't Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua said Usyk's countryman, Wladimir Klitschko, was his toughest foe in the ring.

Back in 2017, Joshua secured his career defining win with an eleventh round stoppage of Klitschko. It was a unexpected war where both boxers were on the floor. The end came when Joshua scored two knockdowns to stop Klitschko in round eleven. A massive crowd of 90,000 packed Wembley Stadium in London to watch the action unfold.

It was the final fight for Klitschko, who retired from boxing later that year.

Last September, Joshua was outboxed over twelve rounds by Usyk, who walked away with the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO heavyweight belts.

"The hardest opponent I have come up against would be Wladimir Klitschko definitely," Joshua said during a Q&A with Oxford Union. "The passing of the guard. The young lion vs the old lion. At the time I fought him I thought it was definitely too early but it was his last fight.

"So if I didn't fight him then it would have been too late, so it was risk vs reward and I thought boxing needed it. Sometimes due to a lack of experience we make it harder than it sometimes need to be. He had definitely more knockouts on his record than I have fights and knockouts combined. He is experienced and very strong and it was a tough fight. Before that stage I was knocking guys out within six rounds and seven rounds. Wladimir took me eleven rounds somewhere I had never been before but he was my toughest for sure."

A rematch with Uysk is targeted for July 23rd in the Middle East. Joshua was stopped by Andy Ruiz in 2019, but bounced back with a wide decision in their rematch six months later.
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It’s like the ring magazines best I’ve faced. They always pick people they beat, means nothing

Salty Dog · May 21, 2022

MarkusFlorez99 said: ↑

But how ? Ruiz and Usyk beat him.
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That's why he said it. In his mind those were anomalies. Aberrations. Wlad was difficult, but the result was within accepted parameters.

McGrain · May 21, 2022

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Look at his face. Lost on the one hand, and proud to have been in the ring with such a great fighter on the other. Both thrashed and grateful. Accepting of his inferiority. A fighter who has had the absolute truth about himself revealed to himself. He understands the value of what has been shown to him without having had time to become resentful.

He hasn't yet woken in the middle of the night understanding what the revelation means for his career, his life, his ego; rather he just sees it for what it is.

Nobody can survive such revelation without effect. Don't blame AJ for his delusion any more than you can blame Usyk for vastly and inherently superior. Of course AJ lies about it now and says "Wlad."

But we no different. We were there - via media - when AJ said "thank you Oleksander."

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"I know who I am now."

Sinew · May 21, 2022

Sounds OK to me. Either Wlad or Usyk. Wlad probably hurt him more but when you have to keep fighting hard to win; that feeling of overcoming obstacles should be great. When losing easily it could feel less stressful when you understand you can t win. You keep trying but you already know.

TheVet · May 21, 2022

Usyk did not knock AJ down - it was not even a hard grueling fight. Looked more like a spar match.

catchwtboxing · May 21, 2022

McGrain said: ↑

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Look at his face. Lost on the one hand, and proud to have been in the ring with such a great fighter on the other. Both thrashed and grateful. Accepting of his inferiority. A fighter who has had the absolute truth about himself revealed to himself. He understands the value of what has been shown to him without having had time to become resentful.

He hasn't yet woken in the middle of the night understanding what the revelation means for his career, his life, his ego; rather he just sees it for what it is.

Nobody can survive such revelation without effect. Don't blame AJ for his delusion any more than you can blame Usyk for vastly and inherently superior. Of course AJ lies about it now and says "Wlad."

But we no different. We were there - via media - when AJ said "thank you Oleksander."

This content is protected

"I know who I am now."
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I find this compelling. I can't wait to sincerely thank the next person who shows me up in my career.

TheVet · May 21, 2022

catchwtboxing said: ↑

They never pick the guys that beat them.
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Would say Raham was Lewis toughest fight? You dont even seem to undersstand the contet of what AJ is saying.

IsaL · May 21, 2022

I believe him.

Wlad ruined (exposed) him. After Wlad he wasn't the same.

catchwtboxing · May 21, 2022

TheVet said: ↑

Would say Raham was Lewis toughest fight? You dont even seem to undersstand the contet of what AJ is saying.
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I understand, I just don't think it is a good context or metric.

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