Anthony Joshua in the 50s. Does he dominate?

Without today's supplements, AJ would probably have been 6'6" and ~235 lbs, which would still have made him an enormously large boxer in the 1950s.

He would have been more skilled than any boxer of that size seen at the time.

 

Blows my mind people think Wilder ducked Joshua in 2020.

I’m so terrified of this guy that got KTFO by a unranked, last-second substitute, chubster, so I’ll instead take on an undefeated, former lineal champion, who held me to a draw, and nearly gave me my first loss.

 

Prime AJ beats ;
Layne
Baker
Henry
Walls
Old Louis
Cockell
Lastarza
Mathews
Without too much trouble. AJ ,as he is now has probably ,"gone back."

 

It’s amazing what propaganda can do.

 

Charles in the way bro.

I don't think AJ beats Ez.

 

No. I don’t see it. He hasn’t done anything in his career to show that he could dominate any era. No to mention the competition was tougher in the 50’s and there was only one title and I don’t favor Joshua over any of the champions in the 50’s.

 

He don't like Matthews, says he's a promotional fighter, a hypejob.

IMO, Harry's record speaks for itself. He took some risks and paid for it.

 

I'm not a huge AJ fan but weren't most HWs in the 50s still under 200 lbs?

His size alone would make him huge challenge. And let's not act like AJ is some no movement Primo Carnera, he moves quite well for his size.

Not saying he'd dominate the decade but he'd be a matchup nightmare for most.

 

Even in the 50's the majority of the heavyweights were actually still around 200 lbs and over. It's just that the division was 176-unlimted instead of 200-unlimited, so the division had more competition and was tougher, since 200+ pounders also had to deal with the smaller heavyweights, who tended to be faster and usually more experienced. To compensate many of the bigger heavyweights in the past wisely would come in lighter when fighting sub 200 pounders and also tended to be good in-fighters.

Also, its important to remember that size works both ways. Being a giant heavyweight can work against you as well, since a well schooled smaller opponent can be a very difficult opponent as both Joshua and Fury both found out. Joshua's poor footwork and ring efficiency are big weaknesses of his that would make his size a liability in the 50's against the top heavyweights.

Joshua also struggled with Usyk and Ruiz's handspeed and ring experience and in the 50's their handspeed and ring experience weren't uncommon. Joshua also has a weak inside game and was getting turned constantly by Usyk. In the Takam fight Joshua was struggling a lot with Takam crouching and his body punching, so despite Joshua's size I see him struggling a lot against the best heavyweights in the 50's.

Joshua would be better off at around 225-230 lbs if he were fighting in the 50's, since at 240+ he'd just be a big target.

Here is a picture on Joshua's weight evolution throughout his career.
https://imgur.com/9HuJR0H

 

Yeah, I don't think AJ would have fought at the same weight as today in the 1950s but I don't think he'd fight below 230-235. He's still 6'6" and that frame alone adds a lot of weight. He'd look downright skinny getting as low as 225.

I'd like to see if there are stats on how heavy most 1950s heavyweights really were. Liston was seen as a giant when he came on the scene, and he was about 210 lbs in his earlier career. If 200 lb heavyweights were quite common in the '50s, then his size wouldn't have been that notable.

Also, Usyk and Ruiz would likewise be considered massive by 1950s standards. Usyk proved that size is not the be-all and end-all, but he was still in the 220s, not in the 170s-190s.

 

His chin is glass and will shatter just the same in the 50s