Last 2 performances were boring/crap in front of thousands of empty seats at the O2 Arena. 2 before that he got beat. Not a huge attraction anymore.
Joshua vs Franklin was sold out. Joshua vs Whyte II was sold out. A few thousand asked for refunds when Helenius came in. So what? He’s still the biggest name in the UK after Fury. Don’t get it when fans start disrespecting a fighter after a few losses. Joshua was a unified world champion. He deserves more respect.
Not disrespecting. Just saying his last 2 performances were crap. Josh Taylor is my favourite fighter and his last 2 performances were terrible. Doesn’t mean I’m disrespecting him. Saying it how it is.
I find it perplexing how the narative now is Joshua looks crap and Wilder KO's him easily in one round. Let's look at the facts. Joshua still won his last fights since Usyk incredibly easy without really breaking a sweat. Meanwhile peak Wilder (not even including the Fury trilogy where he proved he isn't at that level) at his very best got completely out boxed by fringe contenders time after time before landing his pattened windmill shot. Wilder is being built up as something he clearly isn't or ever has been. Nor is he a spring chicken these days. Even if he fights Joshua next he will be 38 when the bell rings. I could easily see Joshua wipe out Wilder within a few rounds. He's never faced a serious puncher in his prime, nevermind now.
During the Helenius KO - you can see at least 19 EMPTY SEATS. No name, Joshua doesn't sell (Facts) By the way I heard a rumour Anthony Joshua could be fighting Andy Ruiz Jr in America (Lets wait and see what happens in the next few weeks)
Joshua's appeal is as a winner. All his advertising gigs portray him as a superman. Unlike other fighters who can become more appealing after a plucky loss, Joshua PLC is built on invincibility and when it went his audience followed.
One thing I will give Wilder is that I think Scott has been working on things with him the right way. Though it often seems to be only one or two very small adjustments per fight. He does seem to be focussed around his one strength: delivery of the right hand. People said that the answer to beating Wilder was to push him back, as he can't fight going backwards. This may be the case, but he seems to now have developed a very short right hand which he can hit you with as you rush him. He dropped Fury with one, and he dropped Helenius with one. He also started to increase his jab output to the body of Fury from fight two to three, but the problem was it didn't develop into a combination (or set up the right) - he isn't going to win on points, so I can only assume that punch is to reset his opponent. Wilder's new move seems to be post off the left to land the right. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Drill, drill, drill. Scott isn't trying to rebuild Wilder at this advanced age; he isn't going to teach him how to be a master boxer, but if he can keep adding other ways to deliver the right hand, little by little, it keeps Wilder relevant in any fight even as he is getting older. Joshua changing style is more of a gamble, and maybe it will pay off. But you know what you are getting with Wilder, whereas I think it is difficult to predict how Joshua will approach the fight. I think that might be why people are edging Wilder even with his inactivity, we just don't know. However, I have to still give the edge to Joshua. In the last two years, Joshua will has gotten 31 rounds under his belt, whereas Wilder has less than 3 minutes. Inactivity at any age is a killer, and Wilder is turning 38 next month...
What will happen is whats happened every year since bazza hearn put the blockers on it 5 years ago ....Hearn will drum up a load of noise about A.J having the best resume in boxing ever and say they want Wilder ASAP then nowt happens and he will fight someone else ...rinse and repeat,it's been going on for years..the most predictable outcome in all of boxing ...
Unfortunately, I think you are right. After Canelo has signed with PBC, Joshua is the only real Box Office star Matchroom has left. Katie Taylor looked completely done last time and Conor Benn won't be boxing in the U.K. for the time being. Eddie Hearn needs to deliver big events to DAZN 3 - 4 times a year and after all it is still a big event when AJ fights in the U.K.
‘We are now looking at staging this fight in Vegas’ - oh bore off Hearn it’s getting so boring. Until this fight is made, which is feeling like less box office day by day, he should have some humility and be quiet. He’s already made a complete idiot of himself with the Saudi mega money fight which isn’t going to to happen, he’s like the kid that cried wolf.
Is there anyone Hearn hasn’t spoken to the night before? ‘Spoke to Shelley Finkel last night’ ‘Spoke to AJ last night’ ‘Spoke to a few interested parties last night’ …course ya did. It’s not the fight Hearn thinks it is. 5 combined losses in 4 years, Wilder inactive and Joshua gun shy. With their dwindling stable and lack of stars Matchroom are now looking desperate running to the Saudi’s with their begging bowl out. They can’t just keep quiet and let a deal unfold either, there has to be daily updates where they inform everyone they’re waiting for the money. If it’s biggest fight in boxing (as Hearn claims) then surely with Matchroom being ‘the only global promotional company’ and earning so much money then they’ll be able to put it on anywhere?
