Anthony Joshua vs Oleksander Usyk - Discussion thread

I suspect this might be hardest pro fight he ever had in his life.
Usyk of course isn't puncher and he doesn't plant his foot for power shots. If he did this, he might had more power.
However then he had lost some percentage from his agility, quickness and sharpness, not only speed. Things that allowed him to be an undisputed at CW.

Usyk's low power is guessed cos he didn't had stopped some lads.
While even 233 lbs Usyk, despite over the hill with 0 doubts might be more mobile than Parker on his legs.
I don't see so easy fight if he will not took Usyk out early.
A lot of A.J so called marquee wins are vs geriatric opponents long ago over the hill.

Didn't had looked that he had bulked up a lot after weight ins at CW, I think something like 206-209 lbs in the ring, maybe a bit more?
Walking around weight I guess then was at least 215 lbs, maybe a bit more.

The question here is: will A.J gas out or no.
If he will gas like vs Pulev, then he will not beat nor Okolie nor Dorticos etc boxers not alone Usyk.
If he will not gas out in periods then he might be even enough mobile and disciplined to keep Usyk at range.

Usyk's low power had been estimated because his style and cos he did not had finished these boxers:
Chisora. Natural HW boxer in Whyte too was not able to finish Chisora in their first fight and scrapped very interesting judges cards here, in 2 nd fight Whyte had lost all rounds vs Chisora until he landed on Chisora properly.
Fury had decision win vs Chisora, then he finished him in 10 th round in second fight when he had decent experience under belt to fight vs Chisora. Parker looked vs Chisora worse than Usyk. Helenius get interesting decision vs Chisora.
Chisora isn't champ but he is tough customer.

Gassiev? Gassiev then was injury free and in prime shape. He was able to take punches from Dorticos who not likely was less effective than average 230 lbs top HW 50 boxer if talking about punch power.
Briedis? A bit too much asked to finish this. If we know how looked Dorticos and Glowacki vs over the hill brittle handed Briedis version. It wasn't even close to prime version. Klit looks that predicted that most likely Usyk will win via decision and that fight will be very dangerous for Usyk while some ukrainian survey pools and bunch with boxing lads had predicted that Usyk will win via stoppage.
Bunch with Briedis fans had assumed that Usyk will win like 120-108 fight. Nope. Klits knew better. Maybe cos they had used Briedis for sparring sessions.
Why for Usyk with advisors from Ukraine gameplan should had been to drop Briedis? He hates movers who are not going for stoppage and does not falls in his traps and sneaky tricks. & Usyk had damn different level as am boxer if compare vs Briedis. He had used this.
Otherwise: why to risk to be Durodola II or Charr II. Briedis then was in prime shape, despite he doesn't looks that was as am boxer close to Pov or Usyk level, he then packed not less 1 punch power than prime Pov despite being smaller than Pov.
Usyk wasn't dumb.

Hunter's prime version? It was I think more effective his version than his HW version for sure.
Glowacki: he most likely quickly get his strong sides and used these, why not.


A.J should win this one unless he will made some huge mistakes or will gas out like he did vs Pulev.
If he will gas out like vs Pulev, he quickly will get that Usyk isn't Takam, old versions of Pulev and ring rusty uncle Wlad and does have faster leg work than Parker, hands maybe slower than Ruiz Jr and wide punch arsenal.
If A.J will start to gas out like vs Pulev, Usyk maybe will afford to plant his foots and check liver and temples.

 

Guys lets remember Wlad got his ass handed to him in sparring vs Usyk

 

Was that recently? Chisora although well beaten on the cards didn't get his "ass handed to him".

 

Usyk still beat him with relative ease, only was bothered for 3 rounds. The only people who people who beat Chisora more comfortably than Usyk were Vitali and Fury. Tyson Fury having to clinch at every opportunity, having 6 inches over Chisora.

And im my personal opinion Chisora has been better than ever last 3 years or so. He started taking training more seriouslh

 

Usyk will stop him late in the fight. Joshua is extremely vulnerable and doesn’t believe in his ability to take a punch. Go watch the second Ruiz fight, he was scared to let his hands go against a fat slob.

Usyk has never lost and doesn’t have any sort of confidence issues. Plus his style will give a stiff guy like Joshua problems, who I don’t think is good at punching while moving.

Usyk will start to time Joshua after the first couple of rounds and Joshua will either cover up or move like he did against Ruiz. Eventually he will gas and Usyk will stop him.

 

Haye stopped Chisora and was also a former CW.

I agree however that Chisora seems to throw caution to the wind these days and is much more aggressive, almost wild.

The Usyk that beat Joyce was special. Not sure if that's the same Usyk these days

 

This is what I fear for Joshua; can he win the mental battle, because a lot of this fight is gonna be about Joshua's doubts, and Usyk's confidence in his own ability IMO.

Regardless of what some folks say about Uysk being small etc, if Joshua manages to dfeat him I will give Joshua huge props, because I think Uysk is all wrong for him, and is easily has the best skillset he will have faced, and probably has the most innate self-belief as well.

 

Eddie announcing full cards prior to and after this fight but nothing yet for this one?

 

Eddie most likely is now concerned with his next business project in Buatsi. If away corner kid will not KO Buatsi, he might manage to get him next fight vs Bivol for a title, not likely Bivol will KO Buatsi and ofc will not win on cards.
Then he might gave Buatsi for Canelo to beat up in US for good money. Unless away corner lad will not stop Buatsi next night.

 

There’s no way Whyte will be on there - they can eek a PPV out of him. Likewise Okolie unless it’s a real keep busy fight.

 

There’s not been many big events this year and they can sell Whyte to the casual market. The Ruiz fight was different as Whyte was coming off all the allegations post Rivas and was out of shape. It’s a bit naive to think he’s going to be on this undercard.

 

Usyk is to small in my opinion, Chisora v Usyk was a entertaining Puncher v Boxer approach and Joshua is way more slicker and mobile them Chisora, Joshua by points or TKO

 

Was that a prime Wald? Asking for a friend...