Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua vs. Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Usyk RBR.

Really pumped up for this fight

A big fight at heavyweight that is hard to pick a winner and looks exciting on paper

This is a big day

 

Real recognise real.

 

I was having a laugh at that Usyk/HGH thread before it was zapped.

For all anyone knows, Usyk (or whichever top fighter one might care to point a finger at) might by using growth hormone, but the shape of his midriff at the weigh-in was no indicator of that at all. I don't think most of the guys who go around screaming 'HGH gut' in here realise how long an athlete (or any person) has to be using that stuff, and at what kinds of doses, in order for palumboism to become a factor. Too many guys just talk mad merda about matters they know very little of.


Nor does the current appearance of his midsection indicate a neglect of core conditioning. Boxers don't neglect core conditioning unless they're slobs, and Usyk is no slob.

He's been eating in caloric excess to gain weight, so he isn't as lean anymore, hence the relative thickening and fleshiness of his midsection. Even if your excess is coming from good fuel, you will gain some fat bulking up. That's literally all it is.

 

It would be great if Usyk wins this. How biased are British refs? Will Usyk need a KO to win? Will my girlfriend ever leave me for a multimillionaire? So many questions.

 

I'm a little stumped here, it's one of those fights which could just unfold in the complete opposite way to how you think. However, I tend to think that the fight depends on a few different moments, and the outcome rests on what they come down to.

Joshua's weight clearly indicates he'll be on the move, likely working to weave the sort of offense he showed before Ruiz I, with the movement he showed in the Ruiz rematch. Usyk is in for a very hard nights work; and I truly think this will be the version of Joshua there's ever been. I've said in the past that this next fight, be it Fury or anyone else, will be Joshua's best. However, he's very flinchy, and no matter what weight he comes in at, I'll always suspect both his chin and stamina. Usyk's always been absolutely fantastic at feinting, countering with straights to the body and he's always upped his workrate, round by round. However, setting himself up to be in a position to grind Joshua down may well get him knocked out. Joshua's backhand is pretty perfect to fire down the pipe at an incoming southpaw; his uppercuts are pretty nasty in that regard as well. Joshua is gonna look to expand the already proliferated distance between the two in an open stance. He's gonna use that height advantage and try and find the massive backhand to end things, or pop the jab off to build points. However, overreliance on the uppercut like he did vs Pulev will get him badly countered.

I think Usyk's strategy will be to simply, defuse the situation when things get heated; work the body and ramp things up with each round. Unfurling in the late rounds, Usyk should pick things up and looks to want a stoppage. Furthermore, Joshua has a history of gassing out after the fourth and fifth, before getting his second wind around the sixth and seventh. I don't think it's unlikely Usyk doesn't bother trying to get to the late rounds, and instead focuses on staying out of Joshua's way for a few rounds, doing nothing but probing with the lead; stabbing with lefts to the gut, and then picking things up and using that new, heavier frame to get as much power as possible, and stop Joshua in those danger rounds.

Usyk isn't gonna be getting a decision.

 

Usyk should make the HOF anyway with his dominance at cruiserweight

 

I've been torn on that for months, because the Fury-Joshua glamor showdown is completely derailed if Usyk wins, and I've been looking forward to seeing Fury pop that balloon for a long time.

But, the nearer the fight has drawn, I just can't bring myself to root against a robust chap like Usyk and in the interests of that waffling globohomo avatar with the conspicuous deltoid tattoo of a continent which didn't make him wealthy and famous beyond his wildest dreams.

Fury-Usyk and Fury-Joyce would make up for the loss of Fury-Joshua.

 

All roads lead to Naoya Inoue.

 

Does anyone know what time EST Joshua-Usyk starts? I stupidly agreed to help my friend paint his new house today.

 

Roughly scheduled for 17:45 EST.

 

Similar fight to Wlad Haye a decade ago but I don't see Usyk copying Haye. He will take it to Joshua and dismantle the bodybuilder.

 

You're not a multimillionaire?

 

Approx how long until the card begins boys?

 

3 hours till Marku vs Prodan which starts the 5-fight main card.

 

I like this a lot, but I really can't see Usyk hitting Joshua, at least to the head, with many jabs. If Usyk isn't busy for the first few rounds, which I doubt he will be, I can't see Joshua looking to put his foot down. He will know that he'll be several rounds up on the Matchroom cards. How Fostah will have him up 6 points after 3 rounds.